Key facts
- South West Water was fined £7,867,733 for hundreds of sewage spills in Cornwall and Devon.
- The company pleaded guilty to 18 charges, including 17 for illegal water discharge activities.
- Incidents occurred between January 2016 and July 2021 at bathing waters and sensitive habitats.
- District Judge Matson described the offences as 'horrendous, very significant incidents of pollution'.
- The Environment Agency led the prosecution, calling it the largest fine for environmental offences in the region.
- South West Water is investing £760 million to tackle storm overflows.
South West Water (SWW) has been ordered to pay a record fine of almost £8 million for hundreds of sewage spills at popular bathing spots and sensitive habitats in Cornwall and Devon. The company pleaded guilty to 18 charges, including 17 for illegal water discharge activities and one for failing to take reasonable remedial measures after a pumping station failure.
At Plymouth magistrates court, District Judge Matson fined SWW £7,867,733, describing the incidents as 'horrendous, very significant incidents of pollution' that should never happen again. The judge found the company’s conduct amounted to reckless failures in management systems and response to known risks.
Between January 2016 and July 2021, there were 231 illegal sewage discharges at Harlyn on the north coast of Cornwall. On one occasion in August 2019, untreated sewage gushed through a harbour wall at Polperro harbour on a bank holiday weekend, with SWW engineers taking 10 hours to attend. Sewage was also discharged into the River Camel, a habitat for otters and Atlantic salmon.
The Environment Agency, which led the prosecution, stated that hundreds of pollution incidents occurred at scenic locations, including bathing waters and a designated special area of conservation. Clarissa Newell, area environment manager at the agency, expressed hope that the record fine would influence a new approach for South West Water.
Responding to the fine, Environment Secretary Angela Eagle announced an overhaul of the water system to provide tougher regulation, stronger enforcement, and greater accountability. However, the Liberal Democrat MP for North Cornwall, Ben Maguire, criticised the fine as a 'slap on the wrist' and called for much tougher penalties, including prison sentences for those overseeing illegal sewage dumping.
SWW described the offences as 'historic' and stated that the majority concerned storm overflows. The company is investing £760 million to tackle storm overflows, reporting a 17% reduction in spills and a 25% reduction in spill duration in the last year. SWW also apologised for past events and is focused on future investment.