Although South West Water is a private company it must comply with Freedom of Information (FOI) requests on environmental issues.
A correspondent has just pointed out to Owl that SWW has been deluged with FOIs from Exmouth and Budleigh residents in the past few days. Below are the details of one that caught the correspondent’s eye regarding unmonitored raw sewage discharge into the Kersbrook at the Lime Kiln car park Budleigh Salterton. This discharge is only metres away from the popular bathing spot in front of the car park.
This is followed by a short list of a dozen recent requests with links to the details.
[The reason these are in the public domain, visible for us to see, is that the requests were made through the “What do they know?” website. An essential tip for anyone launching a FOI]
Request for discharge information, Emergency Overflow from Lime Kiln SPS, Budleigh Salterton
10 February 2024
Dear South West Water Limited,
We have recently become aware that there is an Emergency Overflow (EO) which comes out of the Lime Kiln SPS [sewer pumping station] at Budleigh Salterton. This EO is not monitored through EDM [event duration monitors] sensors.
I have video and photo evidence that this EO has discharged sewage and related items, including sanitary pads, into the Kersbrook channel and from their to the beach through a culvert. This site is due to become a National Nature Reserve this week.
Information I would like please:
1) How many times, and which specific dates, has this EO discharged since 1st January 2022 (ie: 2 years)?
2) How long have these discharges lasted, and what volume has been discharged?
3) What reporting has been made on these discharges, both to EA and to the public?
4) In view of this site being newly categorised as a National Nature reserve, when will this be monitored through EDM, and data published in near real time?Yours faithfully,
Peter Williams
The list
Exmouth SPS Pump Failure information
Response by South West Water Limited to Geoff Crawford on 13 February 2024.
Awaiting classification.
Exmouth, Phear Park SPS maintenance records 2019 – 2024
Response by South West Water Limited to Geoff Crawford on 13 February 2024.
Awaiting classification.
Maer Road pumping station Exmouth overflows
Response by South West Water Limited to Karen Powers on 12 February 2024.
Awaiting classification.
Exmouth SPS pump capacity and volume
Response by South West Water Limited to Charlie Edwards on 12 February 2024.
Awaiting classification.
Hartopp SPS storm tank, Maer Road and Phear Park Emergency Overflows
Request sent to South West Water Limited by Geoff Crawford on 11 February 2024.
Awaiting response.
Sewage Sludge and Fertiliser Cake HGV transportation and Environmental Impact
Response by South West Water Limited to Geoff Crawford on 30 January 2024.
Successful.
Response by South West Water Limited to Geoff Crawford on 6 February 2024.
Delayed.
Request sent to South West Water Limited by Karen Powers on 11 February 2024.
Awaiting response.
Exmouth discharges between 30 Dec & 2 Jan 2024
Response by South West Water Limited to Karen Powers on 5 February 2024.
Awaiting response.
Response by South West Water Limited to Karen Powers on 5 February 2024.
Awaiting response.
Request for discharge information, Emergency Overflow from Lime Kiln SPS, Budleigh Salterton
Request sent to South West Water Limited by Peter Williams on 10 February 2024. – See below
Awaiting response..
Tankers at Budleigh Lime Kiln January 2024
Response by South West Water Limited to Karen Powers on 5 February 2024.
Awaiting classification.
East Devon Watch 
Dear Owl,
As a Budleigh resident I was shocked at the FOI describing the unmonitored discharge coming out of the SWW sewage pumping station into the Kersbrooke. INTO A SITE INHABITED BY THE MOST BEAUTIFUL KINGFISHER which has brought such joy to many.
I cannot understand how the Environment Agency, which has spent so much money on the Lower Otter Restoration Project (LORP), could possibly allow this illegal, disgusting practice to continue.
I also cannot understand how the LORP project included the replacement of the old sewage outfall pipe which will allow raw sewage to continue to discharge on the eastern side of the Otter Head. ( 269.69 hours in 2022) The money should have been spent upgrading the sewage system so no untreated sewage needed to be discharged into the sea.
The Otter estuary is now a nature reserve and attracting so many new species but has raw sewage from places such as Honiton, Newton Poppleford etc.etc. passing through it.
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