South West Water Slapped With Lowest Environmental Rating

South West Water has received the lowest possible environmental rating from the Environment Agency, downgrading its performance score to one star. This designation classifies the company as "poor performing" for its environmental impact, having failed to meet sewage pollution targets for 15 consecutive years.

The company, which serves 1.8 million customers across several southern English counties, met only seven of its 23 performance targets in 2025-26. While some areas like internal sewer flooding performance have met targets, overall environmental performance is deemed "poor," with water supply interruptions remaining a significant concern.

Despite these findings, South West Water stated it is under new management and implementing changes, including reduced storm overflow spills and increased investment in network transformation. A separate report confirmed that its drinking water quality remains "exceptional" and safe for consumption, though overall environmental performance requires substantial improvement.