South West Water fined almost £8m for sewage spills
South West Water has been fined nearly £8 million for illegal sewage discharges occurring between 2015 and 2021 across Cornwall and Devon. The company has apologized for these historic incidents and claims to be investing £760 million to improve infrastructure and reduce future spills.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing regulatory and environmental challenges regarding water quality and corporate accountability in the UK utility sector.
Image source, Ian S/geograph Image caption, South West Water has been fined almost £8m for untreated sewage spills including at Harlyn in Cornwall
A water company has been fined almost £8m for a series of pollution-related offences over six years.
South West Water previously entered guilty pleas at Plymouth Magistrates' Court after an investigation by the Environment Agency into incidents between 2015 and 2021 in Bodmin, Harlyn, Playing Place, and Polperro in Cornwall, and Plymouth in Devon.
Of the 18 charges, 17 were for illegal discharge activities including sewage discharges and one is for failing to take reasonable remedial measures following a failure at a sewage pumping station. The firm was fined £7,867,733.
The water company said in a statement after sentencing: "We apologise for what happened in the past."
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