Our local water company has been very much in the news of late:
Thérèse Coffey has singled out South West Water for her anger over sewage being spilled in rivers and the sea. It is rare for ministers to attack individual companies for their record on water pollution, but Coffey, the environment secretary, told MPs that she was annoyed about the firm’s record on dumping sewage, calling it unacceptable. Thérèse Coffey singles out water company for sewage spills | News | The Times and Thérèse Coffey singles out water company for sewage spills | East Devon Watch
SWW and others are apparently promising a ‘water plan’: High court grants hearing on ‘weak’ plan to cut England sewage discharges | Pollution | The Guardian
East Devon’s MP has been putting the pressure on SWW: Weekly column: South West Water must clean up their act | Simon Jupp MP
And he was due to open a debate last week: Performance of South West Water – House of Commons Library
– which has now been postponed: Simon Jupp MP on Twitter: “It will be an honour to attend President Zelenskyy’s address in Westminster Hall later today. Understandably, the debate I’d called regarding the performance of South West Water in Westminster Hall has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled.” / Twitter
The debate is getting party political, with Honiton’s MP also putting on the pressure: Water companies must be held to account, says local MP | Midweek Herald
The biggest problem is getting access to information about exactly how much sewage is getting into rivers and when – with the regulators seeming to be reluctant to monitor the water companies: Trying to get better data about discharges into our rivers – The Sid and (from last year) Environment Agency investigation into sewage treatment works – Creating a better place
Meanwhile, here’s a little counter-PR coming from SWW: South West Water launches public consultation | middevonadvertiser.co.uk and Young mum starts new chapter with South West Water apprenticeship – Devon Live
Finally, though, the state of the River Sid can in no way be compared with that of the River Wye: Why the impending ‘death’ of one of the UK’s longest and best loved rivers should worry us all
After all, as noted by a commentator, the report on the Sid catchment area from 2013 was not called “Living Rivers” for nothing: Living Rivers Project: the Sid Vale Association, Devon Wildlife Trust and Devon Biodiversity Records Centre
And the SVBG’s water monitoring project team has done some river dipping – and there are lots of clean water indicators along the Sid: Monitoring Water Quality – The Sid
See here for more: How much sewage is ending up in the Sid? part three – The Sid
As there’s always room for improvement.