THE Environment Agency and Surfers Against Sewage have both advised against swimming at locations across Teignbridge this week.

The Environment Agency advised against swimming at Dawlish Town Beach, Teignmouth Town Beach and Shaldon Beach, although the Ness Beach remained clear. The Environment Agency blamed heavy rain for the pollution, finding bacterial pollution from agricultural and urban water run-off. The agency did not expect that the issue would last more than a few days.

Surfers Against Sewage also advised against swimming, but due to recent sewage discharges at Holcombe Beach and Dawlish Town. There were also multiple discharges across Torbay as well as North and East Devon. Surfers Against Sewage stated: ‘Our Safer Seas & Rivers Service is once again lighting up with warnings of sewage pollution around our coastlines. Why should we be put at risk of getting sick by simply being in the sea? It’s time water companies clean up their act. #EndSewagePollution’

In August, South West Water, among other water companies, was criticised for releasing sewage into popular swimming areas across the Westcountry, as well as failing to maintain the devices designed to monitor sewage discharge events.

According to Top of the Poops, an organisation monitoring sewage discharges across the UK, the Central Devon constituency was the seventh worst in the country for sewage dumps last year, with more than 4,500 separate dumps, amounting to more than 43,000 hours of sewage pumping. The Newton Abbot constituency saw more than 2,000 sewage dumps, amounting to 2,900 hours of sewage discharge. The Environmental Agency gave South West Water its worst environmental rating of just one star, a score shared only with Southern Water.

Additionally, it was revealed that just 31% of South West Water’s monitors were either not installed or faulty in 2021, the second highest in the country. There is also concern that many of the water quality assessments are coming to an end this autumn, only to be restarted in the spring.

South West Water previously stated: ‘We are currently delivering our largest environmental investment programme in 15 years, between 2020-25. We are investing £330 million over the next three years into our region’s wastewater network.

‘We currently have monitors on 80 per cent of our storm overflows and this will be at 100 per cent by the end of this year. Already, 100 per cent of the bathing waters across our region are covered by monitors. These monitors are exposed to the elements and sometimes harsh weather conditions so our teams work around the clock to maintain these and repair any issues as quickly as possible. We continue to invest in our wastewater network to improve monitoring and reduce storm overflows, as part of our largest ever environmental programme in 15 years.’

To access the interactive map and ensure your beach day isn’t scuppered by sewage, go to: https://www.sas.org.uk/map/ and  https://environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/