South West Water hit with £7.8m fine for ‘horrendous’ pollution offences

The Environment Agency has fined South West Water £7.8m over a string of pollution-related offences across Devon and Cornwall. The water company pleaded guilty to 24 environmental charges after the Environment Agency investigated incidents that took place between January 2015 and July 2021 in Bodmin, Harlyn, Polperro, Plymouth, and Playing Place. Of the charges, 17 related to illegal water discharge activities, including sewage discharge, and one charge was for failing to follow the appropriate remedial measures following a failure at a sewage pumping station. Judge Jo Matson, in the sentencing remarks on Tuesday, described the offences as “horrendous”, adding that “incidents of pollution by water companies will not be tolerated and must be taken very seriously by these courts”, and fined the firm nearly £8m at Plymouth Magistrates Court. Matson, quoting the water company’s mantra “one pollution is too many”, said: “[South West Water] need to make sure they carry their new mantra of ‘one pollution is too many’ forward from now on to ensure that horrendous, very significant incidents of pollution such as these never happen again.” “I have taken into account that these incidents pre-date that sentence and I have also taken into account the changes that SWW have made since then. Only time will tell if those changes are successful, I certainly hope that will be the case,” Matson said. ‘We apologise for what has happened in the past’ Commenting on the sentencing, South West Water said in a statement: “We apologise for what happened in the past.” “These proceedings concern historic matters between 2015 and 2021 and the majority of the charges concerned the use of overflows in storm conditions. We’re investing £760m to tackle storm overflows and have reduced spills by 17 per cent in the last year alone, with spill duration down by 25 per cent,” the water company said. “South West Water have promised the public that one pollution is too many, and our officers are out every day holding them to account,” Clarissa Newell, area environment manager at the Environment Agency, said. “We hope this record fine will influence a new approach for South West Water, where protecting the environment takes priority in spending decisions,” Newell added. The water firm also previously pleaded guilty to six charges tied to sewage spills at Holywell Sewage Pumping Station, which will be considered at a later date which is yet to be determined. The judge ordered South West Water to pay the fine in full within 56 days of the ruling.