Home / Environment / 111 Poos for 111 Days: Water Quality Outcry
111 Poos for 111 Days: Water Quality Outcry
25 Oct
Summary
- Campaigners used 111 giant poo cut-outs to protest pollution.
- Exmouth's sea faced sewage pollution for 111 days in 2025.
- South West Water claims reduced spills despite high rainfall.
On Sunday, campaigners staged a protest on Exmouth beach, bringing 111 giant poo-shaped cut-outs to highlight the 111 days the town's sea was affected by sewage pollution in 2025. The demonstration aims to draw attention to the urgent need for improved water quality, with activists calling on MPs to prioritize the Clean Water Bill currently before Parliament.
Nicky Nicholls, community lead at Sideshore hub, emphasized the critical importance of this issue for the town's economy and tourism. Exmouth resident Simon McLoughlin lamented the decline of local rivers, describing the current state as "despicable." Mary Culhane of the Sewage Sisters group underscored the bill's lasting significance for future generations and its positive impact on mental health and community well-being.
South West Water acknowledged ongoing challenges but asserted a clear commitment to reducing spills and investment in essential areas. The company reported a 17% cut in storm overflow spills and a 25% reduction in spill duration in 2025, despite facing 62% more rainfall than the rest of England. They also noted preventing over 8,300 spills through operational improvements.
The government stated that the strengthened Water Bill will enhance water quality, grant mayors new powers to hold water companies accountable, and establish a robust new regulator. King Charles had previously outlined the bill in May, intending to consolidate regulatory functions and end fragmented oversight of the privatised water sector.
