Charity wants better access to water company fines
Swimmers suggest brown flags to show polluted sea
Environment Agency says the current system of regular testing during the bathing water season is "consistent and scientific"
On Monday a review into England and Wales' troubled water sector was released, recommending the scrapping of water regulator Ofwat
South West Water says it is "absolutely committed to improving water quality"
Sea swimmers share their views on water quality
South West Water says it receives alerts when its storm overflows start to spill.
The utility says this means it can spot issues issues in the network and respond as necessary and it has a website which provides information on all storm overflow locations across the region, external and whether they are active.
Image source, South West Water
Lisa Young
BBC News, South West
I caught up with Robert after he came out of the water on Gyllyngvase Beach.
He's on holiday from York and says he never checks water quality before he swims, telling me: "I almost prefer not to know.
"The water looks quite clear to me but I guess that might be concealing things that I don't want to know about.
"It was beautiful, very refreshing."
Lisa Young
BBC News, South West
Harry and Tamzin, who live in Bristol, were spending some of their holiday on Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth.
They say they usually check the Surfers Against Sewage website but did not this morning.
Tamzin says: "We've just been in and it felt lovely, it looks nice and it looks clean."
They told me they are originally from Southampton, where they swam in the Solent.
Harry says: "The Solent is notoriously not very clean and there's been periods where we haven't been able to swim down there because it's not been clean enough, the water quality has been too low.
"I generally feel better the more west we get - I don't know if that's true but it just generally feels nicer."
Throughout the day we are taking a close look at water quality issues in Devon and Cornwall. If you're just joining us here's a quick look at what's happened so far:
Lisa Young
BBC News, South West
I caught up with swimmer Gilly Mead after her dip at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth.
She lives near Stithians and swims at least once a week "when the mood takes me".
Earlier this morning the water was "a bit murky" - but she says "that's not anyone else's fault, just the weather".
Her friend regularly checks water quality apps but she says she prefers just to get in.
"I just take the risk, really," she says.
Lisa Young
BBC News, South West
The government describes storm overflows as "safety valves" built into the combined sewer system.
When there is extensive rainfall, excess sewage is discharged into rivers, lakes or the sea through the system.
This protects properties from flooding and stops sewage backing up in homes and streets, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs says.
Campaigners say discharges from storm overflows can contain raw sewage which can contain high levels of harmful bacteria and viruses, and other pollutants such as microplastics and pharmaceuticals.
Lisa Young
BBC News, South West
I've been on Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth speaking to swimmers about the quality of the water.
Angela Ratcliffe, who lives in the Cornish town, told me she gets in the water nearly every day.
"I'm disabled and so if I get in there I'm not disabled," she says.
"I can do exercises and everything in there without being in pain."
She says she loves the water but she knows when not to get in.
"At home I look out and can see a brown slick going across and quite often there's a lot of scum," she says.
"I think it's because they've built so many houses - the infrastructure cannot take it."
We've been speaking to swimmers at Goodrington North beach in Torbay, Devon, about the issues around water quality.
We're keen to hear your thoughts on water quality.
Are you a sea or river swimmer? Do you check the testing results regularly?
Share your comments by emailing us at spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external.
Please read our terms & conditions and privacy policy. In some cases a selection of your comments and questions will be published, displaying your name and location as you provide it unless you state otherwise. Your contact details will never be published.
Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online
Image source, PA MediaSouth West Water says it's very supportive of real-time testing of water quality at the region's beaches and rivers.
Adele Barker, group chief people officer at South West Water, says: "Testing is a complex problem, but actually we are very supportive of real-time testing and monitoring around the year.
"It's done independently at the moment and our customers want that independence."
David Braine
BBC South West senior broadcast meteorologist
Image source, GoogleThere is a big difference in reservoir levels from west to east.
According to the UK Centre of Ecology and Hydrology's latest monthly report, it's clear there was above average rainfall in Devon and Cornwall in June, with river flow being in the normal to above normal range.
Yet for Somerset and Dorset, rainfall was only 60% of the long-term average and river flow rates were in the below normal category.
Individual reservoir levels also tell this story, with Wimbleball reservoir in Somerset currently at 65%, compared with 87% at this time last year and 58% in 2022, a drought year.
For land, reservoirs and rivers in Somerset and Dorset to move back into the normal category, we would need sustained rain from now till autumn - and that certainly is not the forecast.
Jonathan Morris
BBC News Online
Tests are carried out by the Environment Agency
Devon swimmers and clean water campaigners are calling for real-time testing to show pollution levels immediately at designated bathing sites.
Currently tests are carried out by the Environment Agency and it can take several days for the results to be published.
Rhian Manley is a coach at Devon Sea Swim, which uses the free app from Surfers Against Sewage., external
"It actually gives us indications where there are predicted failures and actual failures," she says.
"That's being done by an independent organisation, can't we make this better and more accessible to the public?"
Adele Barker from South West Water says water quality is improving and it's investing £3.2bn in the region.
David Braine
BBC South West senior broadcast meteorologist
The overall water storage held in our reservoirs is currently at 74% - this compares with the same time last year at close to 90% full.
It can also be compared with the drought year of 2022, when at the same time the level was 60%.
The exceptionally dry spring, which was also accompanied by brisk easterly winds, has led to low soil moisture content.
This is largely down to high transpiration - or the way plants move water from their roots to their leaves.
So while reservoir levels appear to be healthy, rivers and moisture content of the land are not.
Tamsin Melville
BBC News, South West
Image source, Nick TaylorA storm overflow in to the St Austell River in January 2024
A Cornwall charity is calling for a better system to distribute money to organisations when water companies are fined for failings.
The previous government introduced a Water Restoration Fund, with £11m from penalties recently distributed to local projects instead of going to the Treasury.
Nick Taylor, of Three Bays Wildlife Group, says he had to withdraw a funding application because most of the money would've been paid in arrears.
"We do not have the funds for that, we would have had to find another grant to get the money - it's ridiculous," he said.
Defra says more than £100m in water company fines will go to local environmental projects and it will offer more detail "in due course".
South West Water chief executive Susan Davy announced she was retiring from the company earlier this month.
The announcement came a day after the firm agreed to pay a £24m enforcement package following a three-year investigation into failures in managing wastewater treatment works and sewer networks.
Speaking to BBC Spotlight's Victoria Graham in May, Ms Davy addressed criticism over bill rises, sewage spills and her remuneration.
James Churchfield from BBC Radio Cornwall has been speaking to the Fowey River Canoe Club's James Asser.
He says the club has a "strict regime" to combat pollution - including getting people to shower straight after getting out of the water.
Competitors are also wary of keeping their hands free of contamination by always ensuring they are washed.
Mr Asser says: "That sort of thing has aided in our success."
Lisa Young
BBC News, South West
Image source, Otter Valley AssociationAcross Devon and Cornwall, volunteers are setting about restoring waterways, including the "sick" River Otter.
They say the middle and lower parts of the River Otter, in Devon, is so contaminated with sewage-related pollutants, it is now classed in the bottom fifth of England's rivers for water quality.
The Otter Valley Association says figures show the river, rated poor by the Environment Agency, had the highest phosphate levels of any major watercourse in Devon and Cornwall.
The EA says about 70% of the phosphate levels come from the sewage system.
Image source, Otter Valley AssociationThe association reports South West Water (SWW) had discharged untreated sewage into the River Otter for more than 15,000 hours in 2024.
Campaigners say they met with SWW representatives last month and were told the water firm had no plans to invest in that section of infrastructure for at least the next five years.
Chairman Haylor Lass says: "This river is the lifeblood of our landscape, and it’s been neglected for far too long. We are standing together - locals, anglers, experts and nature lovers - to give the Otter back its sparkle."
Adele Barker, chief people officer at South West Water, says reservoir levels across Devon and Cornwall are "very healthy".
"We suffered a drought in 2022, and as a result of that we invested £150m in the region, making sure we were well prepared for any hot season," she says.
"That's not to say that everybody should not do their bit to preserve water.
"As I sit here now we have absolutely no plans for a hosepipe ban in the South West."
South West Water's reservoirs are at 74.3% capacity, according to the latest figures.
Image source, South West WaterSouth West Water's group chief people officer Adele Barker has been speaking to BBC Radio Cornwall's James Churchfield.
Kirk England
BBC South West environment and tourism correspondent
Dr Kieron Fraser is developing an autonomous water quality testing system to be trialled in a buoy in Cawsand Bay
Swimmers are amongst those calling for "real-time" testing to show current pollution levels at bathing water sites.
The Environment Agency (EA) carries out tests at beaches and rivers but it can take several days for the results to be published.
Marianne Daysh, of the St Agnes Water Users Group, says: "You could potentially be swimming around in sewage, so real-time testing would really help."
The EA says the current system is "consistent and scientific" and designed to "build a detailed, accurate long-term profile of a site".
Scientists at the University of Plymouth are developing an autonomous water quality testing system on a buoy to take and analyse water samples "as frequently as every 15 minutes".