MPs told SWW working to tackle sewage pollution
THE boss of South West Water has defended its environmental record during questioning by MPs.
The company reported more than 200 pollution incidents in 2020 and 42,000 discharges of sewage into waterways due to heavy rain.
South West Water chief executive Susan Davy was one of five water utility bosses being questioned about river pollution at the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee on Wednesday afternoon.
In its annual report published in July, the UK Environment Agency said South West Water performed ‘significantly below target’ for pollution for the tenth year in a row.
Just 14 per cent of England’s rivers have been rated as of good ecological status and the Rivers Trust reported government figures showing more than 400,000 discharges of untreated sewage into England’s rivers and coastal waters in 2020.
The Environment Agency allows water firms to release sewage into rivers and streams after extreme weather events to prevent flooding and sewers backing up.
Responding to challenges over the company’s record on pollution and storm overflows, Ms Davy said changes had been made this year and 210 pollution hotspots had been identified for targeted improvements.
She said there was a daily focus on the performance of the network, and 24/7 availability of resources to tackle problems.
Ms Davy said so far this year pollution incidents had reduced by 60 per cent from 225 last year.
The number was set to be cut by half in each of the next few years, and was expected to reach around 30 by 2025, with a target of zero.
She told MPs: “We regret harms to the environment and we need to avoid them, that is what we will be aiming for.
“Sometimes things go wrong in treatment plants and the network, but our aim is to get to zero.”
Cherilyn Mackrory, Conservative MP for Truro and Falmouth, raised the issue of only 14 per cent of rivers in England being classed as having good ecological status.
The MP, who declared an interest that she had been a member of Surfers Against Sewage for more than 10 years, asked Ms Davy what was preventing water companies tackling the issue.
Ms Davy said there had been a significant amount of investment over the 30 years since privatisation of the industry to improve sea bathing waters, and investment was being made in the treatment works and network which would impact rivers.
There were pilot schemes looking at inland river bathing for the Dart and Tavy in Devon.
John McNally, of the Scottish National Party, pressed Ms Davy on whether the company would put some of its profits towards reducing pollution in rivers.
Ms Davy pointed out that the average bill, including a £50 rebate from the government, had fallen by £10 over 10 years to £533. She said investment funds were raised from investors and had to deliver a return. She said the firm was seeking to be as efficient as possible so bills for customers could be kept low.
At the start of the session, committee chair Philip Dunne asked the water company chief executives if they would swim in the rivers in their area. All said they would, including Ms Davy, who explained she was a keen paddleboarder in rivers and the sea.
She said in terms of beaches, the number rated as excellent had increased from 28.7per cent in the 1990s to 98.7 per cent now.
Asked about the 42,000 sewage releases in 2020, Ms Davy the company was investigating just under a third of outlets which were triggering more than 40 times a year. Monitors were in place on threequarters of locations, with 100 per cent coverage due by 2023.
She said over the last 15 years, the population of the region had grown by a fifth and tourism had increased by half, causing a 25 per cent increase in flows coming into treatment works.
“What is being demanded of our catchment is increasing,” she told MPs.
Asked about what data were published, Ms Davy said information about bathing water quality was shared with Surfers Against Sewage, and the company was looking at publishing real-time data about river quality.
Committee chair Mr Dunne told the chief executives that there was an “absolute demand from the public to stop sewage being spilled into our rivers”.
The chief executives agreed that zero pollution incidents was a welcome ambition, but would need investment to be achieved.
South West Water has announced a £82million green recovery plan.
South West Water’s parent company Pennon announced this year that shareholders would be awarded £1.9billion in payouts.