Home / Environment / Devon & Cornwall Beaches Get £760m Sewage Upgrade
Devon & Cornwall Beaches Get £760m Sewage Upgrade
17 Dec
Summary
- £760m project to reduce sewage spills at Devon and Cornwall beaches.
- Construction underway for storm water storage tanks in Dawlish.
- SWW faces criticism for environmental record and spill duration.
South West Water has initiated a substantial £760 million project targeting a dramatic reduction in sewage spills impacting beaches in Devon and Cornwall. Construction is actively progressing at key locations, including Dawlish and Falmouth, with the overarching goal of enhancing bathing water quality and protecting shellfish sites over the coming five years.
At Dawlish, two significant storm water storage tanks are being constructed, each capable of holding over 2 million litres of water. These tanks are designed to manage heavy rainfall, acting as balancing reservoirs to prevent sewage discharge onto beaches. This initiative comes amidst ongoing scrutiny of South West Water's environmental record and increasing enforcement actions from industry regulators.
Recent data from the Environment Agency for 2024 indicated a slight decrease in the number of spills but an increase in their duration. Local MP Martin Wrigley has voiced concerns, stating the work "should have come much sooner" and that SWW's overall performance has been "poor," with frequent reports of sewage spills.
