South West Water fined £7.8m for environmental offences

South West Water has been fined £7,867,733 at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court for environmental offences committed across Devon and Cornwall between January 2015 and July 2021. The company pleaded guilty to 18 charges, including 17 counts of illegal water discharge and one failure to take remedial measures following a pumping station failure.

District Judge Joanna Matson described the pollution as “horrendous” and characterized the company’s conduct as “reckless failures” in management and risk response. The offences impacted several environmentally sensitive sites and popular bathing areas. Notable incidents included 336 illegal spills near Bodmin into the River Camel and 231 discharges onto Harlyn Beach. Additionally, a significant incident at Polperro Harbour in 2019, where untreated sewage gushed through a harbour wall, resulted in a separate £1.1 million fine.

The Environment Agency prosecution highlighted that the company failed to detect many of these spills and failed to implement adequate environmental management systems. In addition to the fine, South West Water was ordered to pay approximately £329,993 in costs and a victim surcharge. The company has issued an apology for past failings.