South West Water fined £2.15 million

Largest penalty for environmental offences

South West Water has to pay nearly £2.5 million in fines and costs after pleading guilty to environmental offences in Devon and Cornwall spanning four years.  
 
It is the largest ever fine imposed for environmental offences in the region.  
 
Whacking them with a fine of £2.15 million, Judge Matson told the company: "incidents of pollution will no longer be tolerated by these courts’"
 
The company had fessed up to 13 charges; six for illegal water discharge activities and for seven offences of contravening environmental permit conditions.  
 
The offences took place between July 2016 and August 2020 at Lostwithiel, Kilmington, Crediton and Torpoint sewage treatment works and the Watergate Bay sewage pumping station.   
 
The company also has to pay £280,000 costs and £170 victim surcharge. 
 
South West Water caused harmful chemicals to escape from its property on more than one occasion which resulted in significant environmental damage including sites at Kilmington on the River Axe and in Crediton on the River Creedy. Following the spill at Kilmington, thousands of fish died in the River Axe including some protected species.  
 
In Lostwithiel in July 2016, raw sewage was pumped into the River Fowey for more than 12 hours despite control room alarms indicating there was an issue with the works.  

Fish were killed because of pollution in the River Axe at Kilmington (image courtesy: Environment Agency)
 
Not responding adequately to alarms the same year resulted in an illegal discharge from the Watergate Bay sewage pumping station in August 2016. The discharge lasted for more than 35 hours and a sample taken from a stream at the beach showed E. coli levels to be 2,000 times higher than the level that would be classified as poor.  
 
On two occasions effluent from the Torpoint sewage treatment works was pumped into the St John’s Lake Site of Special Scientific Interest – this also lies within the Plymouth Sounds and Estuaries Special Area of Conservation. The site is designated due to its variety of bird life and invertebrates.  
 
Sentencing the company at Plymouth Magistrates' Court, Judge Matson said the fine "shows the shareholders and management of South West Water the importance of compliance."  
 
Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency, said: “We welcome this sentence. Serious pollution is a serious crime – and we have been clear that the polluter must pay.   
 
“The Environment Agency will pursue any water company that fails to uphold the law or protect nature and will continue to press for the strongest possible penalties.” 
 
Clarissa Newell, Environment Agency environment manager for Devon and Cornwall said: “Failure to apply basic environment management principles has caused pollution incidents at some of the most scenic locations in Devon and Cornwall including bathing waters and designated Special Areas of Conservation (SAC).  
  
“Having alarms to alert you that sewage is spilling is no good if no action is taken. Enforcement is intended to prevent these things from happening again and ensure South West Water improve and meet the expectations placed on it. 
 
“Like all water companies, South West Water has a responsibility to operate in accordance with permit conditions and to prevent pollution. Polluters must pay and the Environment Agency will continue to do everything in its power to ensure that they do.”