South West Water fined almost £8m for sewage spills
Summary
South West Water was fined nearly £8 million for polluting rivers and seas with untreated sewage between 2015 and 2021 in parts of Cornwall and Devon. The company admitted to illegal sewage discharges and is investing to reduce such pollution in the future.Key Facts
- South West Water was fined £7,867,733 by Plymouth Magistrates' Court.
- The fine relates to 18 charges, mostly illegal sewage discharge spills.
- Pollution incidents happened in Bodmin, Harlyn, Playing Place, Polperro (Cornwall), and Plymouth (Devon).
- The company pleaded guilty after an investigation by the Environment Agency.
- Judge Jo Matson described the pollution as very serious.
- South West Water said the spills mostly occurred during heavy rain using storm overflows.
- The company is investing £760 million to improve sewage systems and reduce spills.
- They claim to have cut spill numbers by 17% and spill time by 25% in the last year.
- South West Water aims to meet water quality goals for cleaner rivers and seas by 2040, earlier than national targets.
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