Latest news with #SouthWestWater
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Perranporth swimmers suggest brown flags to signal polluted water
Sea swimmers have suggested brown flags could be used on beaches to indicate pollution in the of the Bluetits sea swimming group said the flags would be especially useful to tourists who may not know how to check the water quality at beaches they Shephard, who regularly swims at Perranporth in Cornwall said: "We get red flags if you can't see because of the sea conditions and I think we need brown flags for pollution."The Environment Agency has awarded Perranporth an 'excellent' grading for bathing water quality for the past four years, as a result of its regular testing system. Fellow Bluetit swimmer Zoe Woodward said in France there was a system where purple flags were used to show poor water quality and she thought it was a "brilliant idea".She said: "For people who are on holiday here and aren't aware to check the apps, to see that visual on the beach I think it'd be a good idea to make people think."In 2024 South West Water (SWW) recorded 56,000 sewage spills into the sea and rivers in the region.A spokesperson for SWW said: "Our storm overflow at Perranporth has not been active in 2025. "There are many other factors that can impact bathing water quality."These factors include agricultural run-off from fields. Another regular sea swimmer Martha Marshall-Clack said she frequently received pollution alerts for Perranporth on her said: "If there's an alert then we're not going in because it's too risky."I know a lot of people will say 'just keep your mouth shut and keep your head out of the water' but you want to be safe."We really enjoy going in the water... hearing the pinging of the alerts that you can't do that, it's just terrible in this day and age - it's just not acceptable." 'Clear, reliable advice' A spokesperson for the Environment Agency (EA) said its bathing water classifications were in place "to give clear, reliable advice to bathers".Thee classifications give a long-term assessment of water quality over a four-year period and as bathing water quality could change daily, shorter-term assessments alone would not provide an accurate overall picture, they said when daily fluctuations in water quality occurred from weather or tide, the EA issued pollution risk forecasts at sites where it was possible to do so. In addition to the annual classification, results of tests throughout the bathing season were available for more than 400 bathing waters on the Swimfo webpage, the EA added. Sarah Walsh runs a sea swimming business and said she was often affected by poor water said: "If there's been an alert I cannot take people swimming in case anyone gets poorly and people might have an underlying health condition."Ms Shephard said water pollution "has gone on for far, far too long".She said: "I just really would like to go into the water without not just checking the tides and the sea conditions, but checking whether there's been an alert for sewage."If I bring my dog to the beach and I don't pick up after them I can be fined £1,000 and be held personally accountable for that - but you can discharge sewage into the sea and that's too difficult to deal with?"On Sunday the environment secretary Steve Reed pledged the number of times sewage is discharged by water companies will be halved by 2030.
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Cornwall charity calls for better access to water company fines
A Cornwall charity is calling for improvements to how money is distributed to organisations when water companies are fined for 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, said he had to withdraw a funding application because most of the money would have 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 has said more than £100m in water company fines will go to local environmental projects with more detail "in due course". Mr Taylor regularly monitors the water quality on the St Austell River in Cornwall, also known as the White June, South West Water's Menagwins Wastewater Treatment works on the river was the source of liquid lime pollution that killed thousands of fish, and an investigation is still under way."Last season raw sewage from the stormwater overflow also went down the river three months of the year in terms of hours," Mr Taylor 2024, Mr Taylor put in an application on behalf of the White River Project to the Water Restoration Fund but said he had to withdraw because most the money would have been handed over in arrears."I'd definitely like to see the money from the fines paid back on more of a grant basis so it's open to everybody, the system at the moment is just not open to small organisations like ours," he added. Tessa Wardley, from The Rivers Trust, said they had also encountered many issues with the Water Restoration Fund."We're engaging with Defra, the Environment Agency, Natural England and others to try and make sure whatever comes out next works better for the environment and is more easily accessible to organisations of all sizes," she said. £100m fines 'reinvested' A Defra spokesperson said: "The government will invest water company fines into local projects across the country to clean up our rivers, lakes and seas."Over £100m in fines and penalties levied against water companies since October 2023, as well as future fines and penalties, will be reinvested into projects to clean up our waters which could include local programmes to address pollution and improve water quality."They added that "more detail on the projects and programmes that this funding will go towards will be set out in due course".South West Water said following an investigation by regulator Ofwat, it had proposed a £24m enforcement package to be split between reducing the use of storm overflows, sewer misuse and nature recovery."We are talking to Three Bays Wildlife Group about the White River Project and share their vision for the future," it said."Whilst we aren't in a position to confirm exactly how funding from the £2m nature recovery fund will be allocated until the consultation is over, we hope to be able to support them and are continuing our conversations."It comes as the findings were published of a long-awaited review into England and Wales' troubled water up in response to growing public concern about sewage spills and rising bills, it issued 88 recommendations, including abolishing Ofwat and bringing water functions from four different regulators into also warned bills would rise by 30% over the next five years.
BBC News
6 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
South West Water serious incidents double in 2024
Data from the Environment Agency shows South West Water (SWW) had double the amount of serious pollution incidents in 2024 compared to the previous Environment Agency released the information in its Pollution Incident Report, which showed serious pollution incidents by water companies had risen by 60% in water utility firm had four serious incidents in 2024, compared to two in 2023, and the highest number of incidents per 10,000km of sewer compared to other water said it was the only company to have fewer incidents overall in 2024 compared to 2023 but admitted there was "further to go" to improve its environmental performance. The Environment Agency records the number of times pollution such as untreated sewage is released from water company sites, such as treatment works, into the country's waterways. 'Confidence reduced' The agency said its officers had carried out 335 inspections of SWW sites and assets last year. The report shows SWW's total number of pollution incidents decreased by 6% compared to agency's industry regulation manager Clarissa Newell said the demands put on Devon and Cornwall's water and sewage systems were "huge". She said incidents like the sewage spill in Exmouth in 2024, which led to no swim zones, reduced confidence in SWW and the region's ability to attract tourism."South West Water needs to take on board impact from climate change and population growth when building for the future and not just fix when things fail," she said. SWW said the report showed it was one of three water companies to have the lowest number of overall pollution incidents in 2024. 'Systemic failure' "We have continued to reduce our pollution incidents in the first half of 2025, and we have maintained our sector-leading performance in preventing wastewater flooding to homes and business," it said. "We know there is further to go to improve our environmental performance, which remains our top priority."The company said it was investing £3.2bn over the next five years to protect the environment and future-proof its network. Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: "This report demonstrates continued systemic failure by some companies to meet their environmental targets."The agency said it was committed to doubling the number of SWW inspections by April 2026.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Islanders told to boil water after bacteria found
Boil notices have been issued for people living and staying on an island off the coast of Cornwall, after bacteria was found in water supplies. South West Water (SWW) said the boil water notice had been issued to about 80 properties after samples taken in the New Grimsby area of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly identified "low levels of coliform bacteria". The company said the cause of the outbreak was being investigated and such notices were normally lifted after two days of clear results. It is the second issue reported with water systems in the Isles of Scilly this week after a faulty pipe led to supplies running low on the neighbouring island of Bryher. The water company said residents could continue to wash and shower "as normal", but should boil water used for drinking, brushing teeth and food preparation. It said bottled water was being supplied to Tresco for vulnerable customers on it priority services register. The NHS said most coliform bacteria live in humans and animals harmlessly, but it can cause infection if it gets into certain parts of the body, such as the bladder or bloodstream. SWW said coliform bacteria was widely distributed within the environment and can survive and grow in water. It said any bacteria could be killed by boiling the water. More news stories for Cornwall Listen to the latest news for Cornwall "We are investigating the cause and have taken actions to resolve the issue such as increasing chlorine levels within permitted limits and flushing the network," a SWW spokesperson added. "Other parts of the island are being tested, and at this stage, New Grimsby is the only area affected." The company said those affected are being "updated regularly on the situation". Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@ More on this story Water supplies return to island as pipe fixed Island told to conserve water amid pipework fault South West Water boss Susan Davy to retire Related internet links South West Water
BBC News
7 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
Tresco islanders told to boil water after bacteria found
Boil notices have been issued for people living and staying on an island off the coast of Cornwall, after bacteria was found in water West Water (SWW) said the boil water notice had been issued to about 80 properties after samples taken in the New Grimsby area of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly identified "low levels of coliform bacteria".The company said the cause of the outbreak was being investigated and such notices were normally lifted after two days of clear is the second issue reported with water systems in the Isles of Scilly this week after a faulty pipe led to supplies running low on the neighbouring island of Bryher. The NHS said most coliform bacteria live in humans and animals harmlessly, but it can cause infection if it gets into certain parts of the body, such as the bladder or said coliform bacteria was widely distributed within the environment and can survive and grow in said any bacteria could be killed by boiling the water. "We are investigating the cause and have taken actions to resolve the issue such as increasing chlorine levels within permitted limits and flushing the network," a SWW spokesperson added."Other parts of the island are being tested, and at this stage, New Grimsby is the only area affected."the company said those affected are being "updated regularly on the situation".
