SWW campaigners 'have enough' of sewage spills

Campaigners gathered outside of South West Water's Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday

Campaigners protesting for better water quality and cuts in sewage spills say they have told South West Water (SWW) they have "had enough" with issues the utility has been having.

Critics gathered outside of the annual general meeting (AGM) of SWW's parent company, the Pennon Group, at its Penisula House headquarters in Exeter on Wednesday.

They said issues that angered them included more than 500,000 hours of sewage overspill discharges being made in 2023.

SWW said it was "doubling investment" in the coming years to improve sewage overspills and the natural environment, and resolving issues was a "priority".

One campaigner from Surfers Against Sewage said SWW was responsible for more than 530,000 hours of sewage spillage in 2023

Cornwall resident Ruth Fitzjohn, from Portreath, said sewage alerts on their local beach began on 1 November 2023.

"We are just ordinary people, we have just had enough", she said.

Rob Abrams, from campaign group Surfers Against Sewage, said SWW needed to hear the "visceral anger" that many of its customers across the region it served were feeling.

He said: "They were responsible for over 530,000 hours of sewage overspill in just 2023 alone.

"This is not acceptable; this is beyond unacceptable."

Cameron Brown, director for corporate affairs at parent company the Pennon Group said the resolving the issues was a "priority" to the company.

Pennon Group boss Cameron Brown said improvements would "take time"

He said: "We will be doubling investment over the coming years to sort this out.

"It will take time, but we want our customers to know that this is a concern and for us, it is a priority, and we are going to sort this out.

"We have a clear plan to improve the environment and double investment over the coming years to improve our natural environment and to reduce the use of storm overflows."

Steve Reed, Secretary of State of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “The truth is that water companies have pumped record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas for far too long.

“The work of change has now begun. This government will put failing water companies under tough special measures to clean up our waterways.

"We will block the payment of bonuses to polluting water executives and bring criminal charges against persistent law breakers.”

South West Water provides water and sewerage services to Devon and Cornwall, plus small parts of Dorset and Somerset.