Key facts
- South West Water has the worst environmental record in England, according to Friends of the Earth analysis.
- The company had the highest annual average duration of sewage spill events since 2024.
- South West Water's bathing sites recorded the most pollution incidents and warnings in 2025.
- Customers of South West Water face some of the highest water bills in England.
- Friends of the Earth is calling for government legislation to improve water quality.
- Defra stated that reforms are being driven to overhaul the water sector.
South West Water has been identified as having the worst environmental record among English water companies, primarily due to extensive sewage discharges. An analysis by Friends of the Earth found that the company's operational area, covering Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Dorset and Somerset, experienced more sewage discharge than any other region.
The report highlighted South West Water's performance across six environmental categories, including sewage spills, water quality at bathing sites, and river health. The company was among the top three worst performers in four of these categories. Specifically, South West Water recorded the highest average annual duration of sewage spill events since 2024, totaling 574,323 hours, significantly more than its closest competitors, Severn Trent and Yorkshire Water.
Furthermore, South West Water's designated bathing sites experienced the highest number of pollution incidents and warnings, with 666 recorded in 2025 alone. Alongside these environmental concerns, the analysis pointed out that South West Water's approximately 1.8 million customers face some of the highest water bills in England, averaging £726 annually, and have seen the second-largest increase in bills since 2024, a rise of 39%.
In response, a spokesperson for South West Water stated that improving water quality is a major priority, noting a 17% decrease in storm overflow spills and a 25% reduction in spill duration over the past year, despite increased rainfall. The company is also reportedly on track to meet new Environment Act bathing water standards by 2030.
Kierra Box, a water campaigner at Friends of the Earth, urged the government to introduce robust legislation to restore the health of UK rivers and seas, calling for a complete overhaul of the water system. A Defra spokesperson acknowledged the unacceptable performance and pollution incidents, stating that the government is driving forward significant reforms in the water sector. Water UK committed to tripling investment over the next five years to halve spills from storm overflows and upgrade wastewater treatment works.