Sunday: South West Water said it has completed a temporary fix for a sewage leak in Exmouth. Since Wednesday, August 14, workers have been trying to fix a burst sewer pipe at Maer Road pumping station, which has caused raw sewage to leak into the sea just off Exmouth, prompting ‘do not bathe’ warnings from the local council and the Environment Agency (EA).

Shannon Brown www.devonlive.com

Yesterday [Saturday], August 17, South West Water (SWW) said it had been unable to “keep up” with the flows from the leak and sewage ad spilled from the overflow at the Maer Road pumping station. The company has since said today workers have finished working on a temporary fix.

A temporary pipe has been put in place and work is set to begin on a permanent repair. SWW added that tankers will remain at the Maer Road site as a precaution while this work is completed.

South West Water said: “Our teams have been working around the clock in Exmouth to repair the burst pipe from Maer Road pumping station at Maer Lane. We are pleased to say that we have now completed the temporary fix, and the pipe is up and running, and we can now begin planning the permanent repair.

“However, tankers will remain on site as a precaution. We would like to thank residents and visitors for their patience, and we are sorry for the disruption caused throughout this event.”

The EA is still warning against bathing in the sea in Exmouth. In a statement given on Saturday, August 18, it said: “Swimming is not advised at Exmouth as sewage is spilling from a South West Water storm overflow. This is related to the burst rising main on Wednesday. Check Swimfo for updates.”

East Devon District Council also stated: “Due to the ongoing pollution incident declared by the Environment Agency and prolonged discharges from the Maer rocks CSO we are urging people not to swim off Exmouth while this in force. Officers from East Devon District Council continue to monitor the situation closely.”

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East Devon Watch

Posted on

19 Aug 2024

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Misc

David Reed – Wake up and smell, not the coffee, but the sewage!

Last week it was flowing down country lanes into the sea.

As Exmouth’s MP, what are you doing about it and why aren’t you acting NOW?

In your election flyer you wrote:

“Ending sewage pollution into our water will-remain a top priority until we get the results that we deserve. For too long our waters have been wilfully neglected and the scale of the abuse is now clear for all to see.”

Now you have been elected, your tone has changed and you are beginning to sound like a clone of Simon Jupp.

This is what you are now saying on facebook regarding the appalling case of yet another sewer burst in Exmouth, not during the winter or heavy rain but at the height of the tourist season, which closed the beach last week

Full text here:

“Over the past few days I’ve been out on the ground to see the effects that the most recent burst pipe is having on our town and our local economy.

It’s easy to shout loudly about how annoyed we all are with the situation, and I completely get it- I am affected in the same way. However, to see the results we deserve will take time and perseverance.

Over the coming months, I will be convening local stakeholders who want to see an end to this sewage situation to find an acceptable route forward with SWW.

#ExmouthandExeterEast”

This is what your constituents think!

This is the list of the comments as at 1700 last night (Sunday).

Tracie Hunter

Seriously?? Just how long is required? Your post is meant to pacify & seems you are suggesting the public just stay compliant while the poor multi billionaires decide how best spend our money

Anthony Spencer

Just tell SWW they aren’t allowed to collect any payments from customers until they fulfil their contract adequately.

Weak moaning achieves nothing. Time for drastic action, what do we want to leave to our grandchildren.

They’ve had enough time, they don’t care and they won’t until it hits their pocket. Do something meaningful for your constituents and your grandchildren should you have them.

Keith Thompson

Somehow, SWW have got to be made to realise that discharging raw sewage into the sea when there has been no rainfall is simply not good enough. Even if it is legal, they are not looking after a community that relies so heavily on tourism, both day tripping and actual holidays being taken by hard working families. I’ve yet to see anywhere an explanation for last night’s discharge. As I’ve said, simply not good enough.

Liz Lawley

On the beach with my family today. Visitors on holiday here couldn’t believe that lifeguards with megaphones were getting them out of the sea at a holiday resort because raw sewage was being discharged. They won’t be coming back

Tammy Hogan

This sewage situation is absolutely disgraceful and an embarrassment to our town!! This problem is going to kill our tourism. People will just book abroad for holidays. Would you book a holiday with your family to a seaside resort that stinks of faeces and has sea water full of it. Also on top of all of this the council are still granting planning permission for new houses/apartments to be built!!

Melanie Canton

Simon Jupp spent his entire time as an MP writing emails and having meetings with SWW to no avail. Why do you think more of the same will achieve anything?

Sarah Anderson

Your response is simply not good enough Mr Reed. If you want to represent our constituency you need to start engaging with the issues that matter to your constituents. This is a huge issue which affects everyone in the area. You may not have been in the job long, and you clearly have much to learn. We will not let this matter rest.

There are short term actions that could make a difference today. Tell me why, as residents we should have to put up with any more planned or unplanned sewage spills from SSW?

Dominic Platts

David Reed MP another day, another beach closure. It’s easy to mutter uselessly about doing nothing over the coming months. How about working with and FOR your constituents who have been fighting to stop this impacting their businesses and communities but are threatened with legal action. How about getting Susan Davy to join you in this community and answer why this is happening. Why she won’t respond to requests for comment and why she believes this is an inconvenient event as if it was the first one.

Barry Catton

David Reed MP – enough is enough!

They keep promising and promising…. but no deadlines… no formal plans… no planning applications… no investment… and today no effort to fix the multitude of failings. Get a fixed timetable to double the Mear Lane treatment works, to replace the sewage pipes and fix the discharge pipes. Get a plan and hold them to account!

SWW are destroying Exmouth and successive governments just pat them on the back and say SWW have promisedto fix it and we need to let them get on with it! “IT” is never delivered and tomorrow never comes.

On the 4th July you stated…

“IF YOU WANT A LOCAL PERSON WHO LIVES IN, UNDERSTANDS AND FIGHTS FOR OUR COMMUNITY, PLEASE VOTE DAVID REED”

….. well YOU got voted in now YOU need to deliver your promises!

Keith Thompson

I can’t believe that this is happening in 2024, yes, 2024! The UK is said to be within the top 10 richest nations on the planet, and yet it’s like we’re living in the early 19th century as far as provision of a basic human need is concerned.

Exmouth has been growing for the past 40 or more years,and yet the investment in infrastructure has not kept up. Yet SWW are taking the money from households and businesses but not investing in a sewerage system to cope.

And the icing on the cake? The new Labour government wants East Devon to build about 33% MORE houses per year than planned for by EDDC.

Paul Fox

It’s better to shout loud than be complicit in silence and inaction David Reed MP.

How much time do water companies need? They’ve had 30 years to invest yet they siphon off investment money to shareholders. That’s what we all should shout about.

Rog Lou

And another problem is that the government wants to keep building more and more houses. The infrastructure cannot cope now, it will be a greater problem with even more toilets being flushed.

Geoff Crawford

Hi David, please share who you have spoken with, what they told you about the situation and what actions they will be taking?

Of course you will continue to work on this through the months ahead but how about an update about this last week?

Bee Knightley

Where in that statement is your grasp of reality in the face of this disaster for our town Mr Reed?

We have all had it with SWW and the way they are running circles around anyone who utters the words “hold them to account“! Before you know it, you’ll be the laughing stock that Simon Jupp was … now is the time to actually show your constituents why you deserve to be our elected MP so why not just get on with it?

Helen Pearce

We now have an UNUSEABLE beach. I haven’t used the beach since my dog swam there last winter and was ill for days.

I’m pretty sure my council tax goes towards the upkeep of the beach as well as my payments to SWW to keep our water processed and clean?

So David Reed our money is paying for you to be in office, your soft, wet and ineffective statement says that you don’t intend doing anything urgently

Nick Warren

We have been waiting 30 odd years since privatisation I think we have waited long enough to get the water systems we deserve ?

Keith Thompson

“in the coming months”? No, no, no. Next week is the time frame everyone’s looking for. What you haven’t said, David Reed MP, is that you have no power whatsoever to do anything about addressing this long running problem affecting the biggest community in your constituency. Have you written to the Secretary of State? Exmouth won’t forget this, you are in danger of falling at the first hurdle of your parliamentary career.

Elaine Cline

This is urgent. As others have said, the former MP for East Devon and his staff spent a lot of time liaising with stakeholders etc since he was elected in 2019.

I am sure you can remember the situation over new year where district/town councillors spent their new year’s day up at Phear Park liaising with various people from South West Water etc about this situation.

If I recall, the former MP for East Devon visited Maer Lane/Phear Park around about this time and posted pictures of himself at the sites. He may have even posted a letter he sent to someone about this situation. He has since deleted his social media so we can’t check back to see what action he took at this time, prior to it and since.

The present MP for Honiton and Sidmouth hosted an event in March in the Houses of Parliament regarding sewage where local and national campaigners came together. The day after this event, the former MP for East Devon secured a debate about South West Water which was attended by many MPs from different political parties across the South West and the former minister, Robbie Moore, as well as the shadow minister was present.

Many of your constituents watched this debate at the time or on catch-up.

Your constituents watch PMQS, committees, debates etc on Parliament Live. They read Hansard notes. They want to see what their MP is doing to represent them.

They want an end to the sewage scandal. It is affecting their livelihoods, health etc

Your constituents are all stakeholders. South West Water are failing your constituents. South West Water are damaging our economy, health etc.

As you know, we have a local campaign group, ESCAPE who have been conscientiously liaising with South West Water, The Environment Agency as well as town and district councillors across the political spectrum for years in an effort to bring an end to this sorry situation.

Your constituents irrespective of whether they voted for you want to know what you have been doing and who you have spoken to about this?

The former MP for East Devon used to post letters on his social media from time to time of who he has written to about various issues. Other MPs have done this.

Have you contacted the Secretary of State for the Environment, Mr Steve Reed about this matter? Have you been in contact with neighbouring MPs about this? etc

Paul Rowley

Also there is a constant issue from the constant droning noise which comes from the sewage treatment works in maer lane which increases at night when it’s raining. There are alot of issues at all times its obvious that the system has been overloaded with all the recent development. We dont need hollow words now we need to see the plans extra treatment plants new upgrades etc etc.

The Beach Shop

This is effecting the sea, beach, environment, people and now business. Year after year it is getting worse and this year just seems endless problems and is really effecting trade as its constantly on news and media outlets, our best asset is our beach and its being ruined. We have to stand up and do something before its too late.

Rebecca Hollywood

Not good enough. Immediate action required- Investment. CEO fired. Fines. Dividends stopped. Profit reduced.

Amanda Sly

This simply cannot wait, your constituents (who are also stakeholders) want action NOW.

Ryan Wheeler

Don’t forget there are short term actions that can start to make a positive difference TODAY. E.g. Getting SWW to stop their subterfuge and weasel words and start being truly open and honest with your constituents to rebuild trust. Just look at their lack of info and distracting messages around this most recent spill (‘pollution incident on private land’). For another quick win – the WaterFit site still uses icons and colours that make it inaccessible to those with vision problems in an attempt to hide the problem (is that beach icon blue for OK or blue with a tint of green for currently spilling poo?). You’ve got a golden opportunity to really make a name for yourself here with an electorate that is disillusioned with politicians in general and often the Conservative Party in particular.

Sharon Ellis- Rehbock

I believe there were similar words from Simon Jupp – as you are the same party surely you can continue where he left off – rather than starting again ! Isn’t there a comprehensive record of his actions in your office? Hope that you find a way of Turing words into actions it seems a never ending list of platitudes.

Martin Freeland

I’ve emailed the responsible govt minister to complain about SWW and also the lack of representation by our elected representative .

Pippa Gibbs

Thank you for your post. We need swift action so that SWW know this risk to our health, community and tourism is untenable. This is a No1 issue for many of your constituents as you will know from the election campaign.

Steve Mackay

It’s time for South West Water to go

Andy Pegman

David Reed MP – what a ridiculously soft approach to something so serious. As our MP, how does this not even seem to anger you. This is an absolute disgrace of a company getting away with it time and time again, essentially trading illegally whilst siphoning our money into their personal accounts. You need to wake up and start acting in our interests right NOW. Not sitting back and giving them months more. Is this really the best you’ve got?! Wake up!!

Marianne Ridgewell

clean bathing & drinking water should be a priority

Claire Cook

It shouldn’t be in this state in the first place.

Why has preventative maintenance not be done, it’s obvious that if things are not maintained/replaced there will be issues.

We haven’t even had any rain so why is there overflow?

This isn’t about improving a working system to make it better. The anger is over SWW not even offering the basics.

It’s the Summer Holidays, my children should be able to play on the beach/sea. Never mind the irreversible damage to the environment.

Andy Fairbanks

Recall petition incoming, only takes 10%

Sue Millard

David I think that this goes beyond how cross anyone is. This kind of spill during tourist season will massively impact our local economy. Tourists won’t come back. Especially as EVERY other beach in the area is fine. I am sure the holidaymakers told not to swim will go elsewhere. And it’s not an isolated incident as Exmouth has been in the news over the winter. A proper remediation plan is needed. This has been going on for months.

Ernesto L’Abrador

Maybe to get stakeholders truly on board we should stop all development that add to the pressure on the system and use Grampian letters regarding future developments, this will focus those minds if you stop them making money and adding to the problem.

Exmouth in Bloom

It’s the disappointment for families on holiday and the long term effect that people won’t bother to come back in case the sewage is discharged again. It’s a disgrace and unacceptable that pipes have burst so many times this year. Surely it would be far cheaper to build a new, state of the art sewage works or an extension to the present sewage works to cope with all the new housing, plus the influx of visitors which almost doubles Exmouth’s population in the Summer months especially.

Cezza Henk

Weak answers from another weak MP.

We had the same platitudes from your predecessor. Alll he did was eat and drink his way round the constituency adding to the pumped into the sea.

Prove why you were voted in by having some back bone and doing something to sort this situation. You wanted this job, now earn your keep.

Another career politician hoisted on our area. Prove that you are not out of your depth.

Scott Ratcliffe

Weak statement that shows how completely out of touch you are. No, we won’t stop shouting loudly, how condescending can you be?

In case you missed them here are some defining images of the week

Breaking (literally) SWW “temporary” repairs to sewer have failed like they did in Phear Park

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Planning applications validated by EDDC for week beginning 22 July

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Sunday: South West Water completes temporary fix at Exmouth sewage leak site

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David Reed – Wake up and smell, not the coffee, but the sewage!

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