Richard Foord MP demands action on “disgusting” South West Water sewage spills

Richard Foord MP has demanded action on the shocking number of sewage spills into the rivers and coast around Mid- and East Devon, following last week’s release of data by the Environment Agency.

Many sewage pumping stations in the Honiton & Sidmouth constituency are now regularly discharging untreated sewage into ailing local rivers, that ultimately end up in East Devon’s coastal waters.

Mr Foord said:
“Beautiful Salcombe Regis near Sidmouth, made national news last week as the place raw sewage was dumped most often by South West Water in 2024 – 366 times. That’s effectively a discharge for every single day of the year.”

“Water companies are making a total mockery of the legal position that rules sewage spills are permitted in ‘exceptional circumstances’ only, such as during heavy rainfall.

“I’ve been looking at some of the 2024 spill data for the area that I represent, and I am disgusted by the level of wilful neglect.

“The level of raw sewage dumped is not only deterring people from swimming, but the pathogens are decimating marine life too.

“To add insult to injury, South West Water has had the audacity to significantly increase residents’ bills this month, with some people being charged double compared with last year.”

“Instead of continuing to pay shareholders and senior management enormous dividends and salaries, the company must fully invest in its creaking infrastructure using those proceeds. We’re at this point due to years of neglect.”

Some of the worst places for sewage dumping in the Honiton & Sidmouth constituency are:

• Dulford Pumping Station – spilt 283 times for 6,198 hours into the River Weaver
• Payhembury Wastewater Treatment Works – spilt 279 times for 5,373 hours into the Little Mere River
• Honiton Wastewater Treatment Works – spilt 219 times for 3,808 hours into the River Otter
• Feniton Wastewater Treatment Works – spilt 114 times for 1,886 hours into the River Otter
• Stoneyford Treatment Works (Cullompton) – spilt 99 times for 1,782.98 hours into the River Ken
• Kilmington Wastewater Treatment Works – spilt 158 times for 1,181 hours into the River Axe
• Gittisham Pumping Station – spilt 82 times for 930 hours into the River Otter
• Aylesbeare Sewage Treatment Works – spilt 103 times for 779 hours into the Aylesbeare Brook
• Broadhembury Pumping Station – spilt 56 times for 679 hours into the River Otter
• Fluxton Wastewater Treatment Works – spilt 89 times for 522 hours into the River Otter

Last December, the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) said that the government and regulators had broken the law by being too lenient on water companies that spill sewage.

Mr Foord added: “The last government had almost no interest in environmental regulation, which helped explain why Ofwat repeatedly failed to hold South West Water properly to account. The Government should scrap Ofwat and create a Clean Water Authority, along with implementing a total ban on water company executive bonuses until sewage dumping ends.”