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Planning applications validated by EDDC for week beginning 29 July

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“Two star” South West Water likely to be overrated but “stars mean prizes”

The Environment Agency judges water companies on seven metrics. Scoring highly in one or two of these can “trump” a poor score in, say, sewage spills.

“Stars mean prizes” as companies use them to burnish their corporate credentials to justify their image and higher executive pay.

What a crazy system! – Owl

Sewage-spilling English water firms could be denied ‘top marks’ in rankings

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

Sewage-spilling water companies will no longer be able to justify high chief executive pay by getting “top marks” in the Environment Agency’s rankings, under plans to tighten rules, the Guardian understands.

Bosses presiding over companies found to “recklessly” discharge sewage have been able to justify their large pay packets because of being awarded the top rating, while companies that preside over sewage spills can call themselves “industry leaders”.

The regulator gives each company a star rating each year. One star is the lowest mark and means the company is urgently in need of improvement, while the highest mark is four stars, which comes with the accolade of being an “industry leader”.

Companies are judged on seven metrics including drought resilience and transparency over sewage spills: if they score highly on some of these, they can get top marks even if they have spilled large amounts of human waste into England’s rivers and seas.

The reforms being considered would mean that to achieve the new highest score, companies would not be able to have a low score for sewage discharges. This metric will also be tightened, the Guardian understands, so it is harder to achieve a good score.

Sources at the EA say it plans to add at least one extra star rating in an overhaul of the rules, so no company found to be spilling sewage will be able to call itself an “industry leader” at the top of the league table and therefore escape scrutiny and justify high CEO pay.

There is unhappiness within the agency, according to the sources, that those at the “top of the league table” boasted of their position and used it as an excuse for high pay. There is also frustration that it gets the companies good PR, allowing them to take attention off their spills because they are not a “basket case” with a one-star rating. According to the sources it was a “very poor league table for anyone in it” and even the best performers were behaving poorly, which was not reflected in the star ratings.

Severn Trent has used the company’s four-star rating to justify the pay packet and bonus of Liv Garfield, its chief executive. This year, Garfield was awarded a £3.2m pay deal, including a £584,000 bonus, despite the company being fined £2m for spilling 260m litres of sewage into the River Trent. Garfield’s year-on-year pay increased by 2.1%, bringing her total take-home pay during her time as Severn boss to more than £28m.

United Utilities also received a four-star rating in 2023, marking the company as an “industry leader”. This may surprise local people, who were told not to swim in the sea at eight beaches that summer due to sewage pollution. The company was also found to be leaking human waste into Windermere in the Lake District. Noxious blue-green algae was seen across its waters, which has been linked to pollution incidents.

Water industry sources said this discrepancy was because the current rules measured company performance by length of sewer networks, but that many pollution incidents were from sewage treatment works or sewage pumping stations. The rules also do not currently cover storm overflows, river and coastal quality, net zero, or nutrient neutrality.

Charles Watson, the founder of the campaign group River Action, said the system needed to change: “The current Environment Agency performance rating system is simply farcical. For water companies who are consistently causing major pollution incidents to somehow receive a top four-star environmental performance rating simply beggars belief.

“I wonder what the local community around Lake Windermere, who have witnessed their iconic lake repeatedly turn bright green due to poisonous algal blooms caused by United Utilities’ failing sewage infrastructure, has to say about UU’s top of the league rating? Also, for already ridiculously overpaid CEOs, such as at Severn Trent, to be using these flawed metrics to justify being even more overpaid is simply downright immoral.”

Giles Bristow, the chief executive of Surfers Against Sewage, said: “With prolific polluters achieving top marks for environmental performance it’s clear these ratings are as suspect as the effluent the water industry is dumping into our rivers and seas. We fully support the Environment Agency reviewing these ratings. This is yet another example of a fundamentally broken system.”

An EA spokesperson said a four-star rating did not mean a company was a “perfect performer” and confirmed it was looking at tightening standards by 2025. They added: “We frequently tighten standards to drive better performance and made very clear that we expect all companies to achieve and sustain better environmental performance.

“More broadly, we continue to strengthen our regulation of the industry, including tightening EPA [environmental performance assessment] metrics, quadrupling water company inspections by March next year and recruiting 500 additional staff to hold water companies to account.”

A United Utilities spokesperson said: “We are pleased to have again attained a top four-star rating. We are not complacent though, and we remain fully focused on delivering performance improvements to protect and enhance the environment for the benefit of all our stakeholders.”

Severn Trent has been contacted for comment.

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Tory legacy of disinvestment in housing stock leaves tough choices for EDDC

After 44 years of “right to buy”, with substantially less than 100% retained for investment in new social housing, you would think maintaining the existing stock was vital. 

Only now is it becoming clear how little has been invested over the years by East Devon’s successive Tory administration. 

An, as yet, not fully quantified “black hole” has appeared.   

Cllr Christopher Burhop (Independent, Newton Poppleford and Harpford) who sits on the housing review board, said that: in mid-March, the review board had been told the overspend in the housing department would be nearly £5 million for the year, “but it ended up, just 17 days later, being a [much larger] overspend”.

“That information should be brought to this board for us to scrutinise, as I know it is available and so it should be part and parcel of these meetings.”

The new CEO, Tracy Hendren, took up her appointment in June.

Difficult decision are going to have to be during the autumn. – Owl

Tough choices to tackle East Devon housing finances quandary

Bradley Gerrard www.sidmouthherald.co.uk 

East Devon District Council is looking at how it can afford to run its housing service in the coming years.

The council requested nearly £12 million in extra borrowing last month to help fill a black hole in its housing department’s finances. Now, it faces some difficult choices.

“There will not be easy decisions for any member of cabinet,” Catrin Stark, East Devon District Council’s interim director of housing and health, told the authority’s housing review board.

“There will be difficult decisions about the viability of retaining the stock as a local authority, especially given that other local authorities are stating an average cost of £50,000 being required per property to ensure it meets current requirements and standards.”

Councillors want more timely financial information about its housing service, given that the housing review board was, at its August meeting, assessing data for the last financial year that ended in March.

There were also questions about how the service would save £250,000 a year.

Cllr Christopher Burhop (Independent, Newton Poppleford and Harpford) who sits on the housing review board, said the group “needed to see financial indicators… given where we have found ourselves”.

“We have to reassure ourselves and rebuild confidence that we, collectively, are in control of this,” he said.

“That information should be brought to this board for us to scrutinise, as I know it is available and so it should be part and parcel of these meetings.”

He said that in mid-March, the review board had been told the overspend in the housing department would be nearly £5 million for the year, “but it ended up, just 17 days later, being a [much larger] overspend”.

Cllr Colin Brown (Conservative, Dunkeswell and Otterhead) asked whether it would be more prudent for the council to sell its empty properties – known as voids – rather than invest in bringing them back into service.

Ms Stark noted that a “disposal process” would be among the options put to councillors in the autumn.

The council is expecting a report into the state of its housing stock soon, potentially by the end of the month.

Officers said roughly 87 per cent of its properties had now been surveyed, and work was ongoing to ensure the information could be easily uploaded onto the council’s system.

It is hoped this will illuminate how many properties are in disrepair, and the  work needed to bring them back into use.

The council has acknowledged it has a “significant number of long-term voids”, something that represents a problem through lost rent to the council, and potentially larger repair bills than homes that have been lived in more recently.

It has budgeted £2.5 million this year on bringing void properties back into service.

Officers also noted that the council had paused any purchases of properties available on the open market, those which tend to be ‘right-to-buy’ homes.

Before the request for extra borrowing, East Devon’s housing revenue account already had nearly £85 million of debt, which costs £2.8 million in annual interest payments.

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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

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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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

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18 Aug 2024

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Planning applications validated by EDDC for week beginning 22 July

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17 Aug 2024

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Council Leader urges South West Water to stop sewage spills

In response to a pollution incident in Exmouth, Councillor Paul Arnott, East Devon District Council’s Leader, has issued a statement.

eastdevon.gov.uk 

“In February this year, East Devon District Council formally voted to express “no confidence” in South West Water. Many incidents both before and after that decision have fully justified the vote, but the major sewage spill at The Maer last night represents an historic new low. Despite multiple reassurances from South West Water that they have Exmouth under control, they simply do not. This incident not only impacted our residents but also the tens of thousands of tourists that visit Exmouth.

“Our officers and the Environment Agency attended the site as soon as the spill was reported and took direct action to advise residents and visitors not to bathe in the water.  I thank them for their rapid response.  Due to the severity of the spill, today we have had to ‘red flag’ bathing until we are satisfied that any sewage has dispersed.  We are also closely monitoring the impact on one of our car parks.

“As a council, we are meeting South West Water following the vote of no confidence and the ongoing issues with the company. But I urge them to think about their actions and agree a way forward to ensure this does not happen again. 

“We will continue to monitor the situation and will hold South West Water to account.”

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At the height of the August holiday season Exmouth’s “Do Not Swim” notice hits national news

‘Do not swim’ warning issued for Exmouth Beach

An urgent “do not swim” warning has been issued to holidaymakers visiting Exmouth Beach after a sewage pipe burst on Wednesday afternoon (14 August).

Natalie Wilson www.independent.co.uk

The popular tourist hotspot received an influx of beachgoers this week following the hottest recorded day of the year and the start of the summer holidays.

Following the burst, the Environment Agency has advised the public to avoid getting into the sea in the Exmouth area due to the pollution risk.

“Bathing is not advised due to pollution from sewage. Affected bathing water: Exmouth,” warned the organisation.

South West Water confirmed they are working to install a temporary pipe to manage the leak and a red flag has been put up the beach to stop bathers from entering the water.

East Devon District Council also cautioned beachgoers against bathing: “We have been made aware at 1731 this afternoon of a pollution incident on private land next to the Maer Road pumping station in the Exmouth area. Bathing is currently not advised in this area on Exmouth seafront.”

In a statement, South West Water said: “Our teams are working hard to fix a burst sewer on private land next to Maer Lane wastewater treatment works. We are using tankers to transport flows away from the burst location to the treatment works to allow our teams to work on the damaged pipe.

“We will be installing an overland pipe as a temporary solution until a permanent fix can be carried out. To ensure the safety of our teams and road users, we have temporarily closed Maer Lane, and we would like to thank local residents and visitors for their patience.”

Amid a slew of recent sewage spills on the UK coastline, Ofwat proposed £168 million of fines for three of England’s biggest water companies in August.

The water regulator proposed a £104 million penalty for Thames, as well as a £47 million penalty for Yorkshire Water and £17 million for Northumbrian Water, as the first batch of results from its biggest-ever investigation into the industry.

The penalties relate to water firms’ management of their wastewater treatment and sewer systems, which have come under heavy criticism for releasing too much pollution into rivers.

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Mysterious tank appears next to sewage pumping station – Budleigh

A correspondent sends these images from the Lime Kiln car park and comments:

This tank appeared about a week ago. Is it anything to do with what Susan Davy has described as surface water separation to reduce the flow that is being pumped up to Exmouth?

And a glimpse through the railings

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Frustrations of a Budleigh resident with South West Water

From a Budleigh correspondent:

As a Budleigh resident I was pleased to read the letter from Susan Davy that the sewage is being dealt with and all will be well by 2028.

Then I started to read between the lines.

We just have to wait until 2028 when more sewage capacity will come on stream in Exmouth.

Then I read that sewage is flowing again in Exmouth down some country lanes.

I have a deep scepticism that the Exmouth wastewater treatment will be sorted by 2028 even for the current Exmouth residents.

And then the government wants house building plus, plus in East Devon. With 2/3rds of the district a natural Landscape where will it go? Exmouth you bet. Where will these houses sewage go? Exmouth Waste Water Treatment Plant and then the sea?

Bad luck Budleigh Salterton. You will be at the tail end of the pipeline – you will be back a hundred years to the 1930s when the sewage was routinely piped out to sea!

I shall copying this to David Reed to ask him to remember that the small town of Budleigh Salterton is part of his constituency. We are part of the Exmouth sewage fiasco. We have been suffering, like Exmouth, with tankers through our High Street, poo in our bay, trees dead in the Kersbrook next to the pumping station etc. and likely to continue for years to come. 

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Sewage bursts: Geoff Crawford asks is this the day senior heads will roll?

 First David Reed MP

“Another month, another burst pipe- more disruption to local people, businesses and tourists.” These words are tiresome now.

South West Water, why have you allowed your network to get into this dire state? Any trust the public had in you is rapidly evaporating.

Upgrade your network and stop this misery.

I will be speaking with the SWW Chief Operating Officer asap to ascertain how long this current burst pipe off Maer Road will take to fix.

#ExmouthandExeterEast

Now the full story from Geoff Crawford

Geoff Crawford text

Bursts on all Exmouth main rising mains and all part of the plan to pump more sewage to Maer Lane and out to sea.

Network diagram below with locations of bursts in the last 8 months.

Upgrades to pumps prior to upgrading the rising mains. Despite assurances that these pipes have been upgraded we continue to see sewage pipe bursts across Exmouth network.

Is this the day senior heads will roll?

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South West Water “comes clean” and upfront on Budleigh’s leaky sewers

Henry Riddell’s letter prompts SWW to produce new web page:

Budleigh Salterton | Projects and investments | South West Water

www.southwestwater.co.uk 

The situation

Through CCTV investigation, we have identified infiltration into the sewers in Budleigh Salterton. Infiltration is when surface or groundwater enters the sewers in places it’s not meant to, such as through manhole covers or pipes in need of repair. This means that a lot more water enters the sewers and increases the risk of activating our storm overflows.

Through repairing the pipes, we can reduce the volume of water travelling through the network, which will help reduce the risk of spills and pollutions from these assets.

The plan for Budleigh Salterton

In September, work will begin to start reducing the amount of water that is entering the sewer network. The work will be carried out in stages and is planned to continue throughout the autumn.

We’re planning to repair the sewers with the very latest lining technology, which will reduce the number of excavations needed as the repairs all happen inside the pipes.

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15 Aug 2024

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Susan Davy responds to Cllr Henry Riddell’s letter of 25 July

Cllr Henry Riddel writes on facebook

On the 25th July I responded to a letter I received from Susan Davy, CEO of The PenonGroup. Please read the attached response from her. You can also find information about planned works in Budleigh Salterton using this link: https://www.southwestwater.co.uk/…/budleigh-salterton

First, here is the link to the article about Henry’s original letter which includes the full text. It contains a series of detailed questions, written in conjunction with Peter Williams.

This is the Text of Susan Davy’s response:

Sent via email

9 August 2024

Dear Councillor Riddell,

Thank you for your further letter dated 25 July regarding South West Water’s activity in Budleigh Salterton. I hope to set out our response to each of the points you have raised below.

To your point regarding storm overflows, I recognise that lower rainfall in 2022 contributed to reducing overflows, much like the 50 per cent increase rainfall in the last six months of 2023 caused an increase in storm overflow activity, If anything, this serves to highlight how much storm overflow activity is weather dependent, along with increased demands on the network by population increases, tourism and development. We also experienced ten named storms back-to-back in the latter months of the year, along with yellow weather warnings which tested the resilience of our assets and operations. The impact of the extreme weather has varied across our operations. with the wetter weather supporting the recovery of our reservoir storage and water resources, but the increased rainfall and high groundwater levels driving up the use of storm overflows.

I fully accept the way our existing network operates isn’t what millions want and expect, but a product of how our system was first built and developed over time. If I had to design and build an entirely new system today, this wouldn’t be my choice. Nevertheless, I want to stress that we are serious about tackling storm overflows. As you will appreciate, however, change of this scale takes time, ambition, and increased investment – and that is why we are investing £930 million in our region over the next two years, with an additional £70 million of investment accelerated. We were one of the first water companies to have 100 per cent storm overflow monitoring and will also be one of the first water companies to meet the Government target of less than 10 spills per overflow, per year a decade ahead of target. I know we have to step up and accelerate progress to meet this target.

Turning to your specific questions. I have spoken with my colleagues that you recently met and have responded to each point raised.

Firstly, regarding your query about emergency overflow discharges. We can confirm that there have been no discharges from Lime Kiln emergency overflow into the Kersbrook since 26 July 2023. Budleigh Salterton has been selected as one of our beaches for enhanced daily bathing water monitoring and sampling, which began on 15 July 2024. We are sampling for E. coli in Kersbrook and any high readings will be sent off for Microbial Source Tracking (MST). We hope this will provide a clearer understanding of what is causing elevated levels.

Secondly,  water ingress, also known as infiltration, is a reoccurring issue within the Budleigh Salterton area. although this year we are seeing particularly high levels. We have a programme of work, which my colleagues have taken you through, to address this which will keep disruption to an absolute minimum. We have conducted CCTV surveys in May and June this year within the catchment of Lime Kiln Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) and have identified several areas requinng rehabilitation. Following these investigations, we are scoping works to re-line the sewer within Fore Street and details are yet to be finalised, focussing on minimising disruption to customers affected by this work.

It is worth noting that the infiltration problems will increase spills in 2024, The above plan will reduce infiltration and after 2024. this will return overflow performance to that of the previous year. As my team have explained, the longer-term plan is then to pump more to the sewage treatment works (STW) for treatment. This also includes surface water separation to reduce the flow that is being pumped up. The STW upgrades are being designed now with the intention that treatment capacity is achieved by 2028 – two years ahead of the compliance date given by the Environment Agency. The upgrade to Lime Kilns SPS would align with this. The additional flows would therefore be fully treated, and no additional storm volumes will be discharged at the STW overflow, and therefore there will be no negative impact on Budleigh’s water quality.

Thirdly, we are committed to providing updates to our customers when we are carrying out works in the community and do so via a range of platforms, whether it be via SMS text messages, email, social media and voice messages depending on the circumstances. We have also now published a dedicated page on South West Water’s website for Budleigh Salterton which will provide information on upcoming infiltration works: httos://www.southwestwater. co.uk/about-ustwhat-we-do/improvilu-your-service/projects-and-investmentibudleigh-salterton. I hope both you and your local constituents find this useful.

Lastly, in response to your concern about storm discharges, we have been taking regular water quality samples of the bathing water at Budleigh. This began on the 2 June and remains ongoing. No evidence of sewage related pollution was observed, with all samples meeting ‘Good’ to ‘Excellent’ bathing water standards. Samples were obtained as the storm discharges were occurring and there is no evidence of impact on the receiving waters. As you are aware, bathing water sampling is the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

We welcome your feedback on WaterFit Live and I have shared this with the relevant team for consideration as they develop further updates.

I am sorry for the disruption caused by the recent work to fix the leak next to the SPAR shop. Our teams worked hard to repair this as quickly as possible. My team are on hand to answer any queries about any of our works in the community and endeavour to provide proactive updates. If you have any queries or concerns. please contact councilenquiriesPennon-grouP.co.uk for a timely response.

I know we need to do more to rebuild trust and confidence in our operations, As Chief Executive, I look forward to working with communities and our stakeholders to do just that. I have asked our Managing Director for Waste Water Services. Richard Price, to meet with you at a mutually convenient time in the near future to discuss your concerns in more detail.

I trust the above goes some way in addressing your concerns.

Yours Sincerely,

(Signed) Susan Davy, Chief Executive Officer, Pennon Group E: sdavy@pennon-group.co.uk

Peter Williams has commented:

“Good to see some actual detail in Susan Davy’s response to Henry’s letters this time.

The timeline for lining the sewer main in Fore Street is later than planned (Sept vs July), but – when completed – this should make a substantial difference.

Also good to see they have followed through on our request for a dedicated web page detailing what they are doing to fix Lime Kiln pumping station.

Some progress I’d say, and a little more honest than previous platitudes!”

Owl also notes “some progress” but is inclined to be a little less charitable.

Susan Davy spends her first two paragraphs blaming the weather and moaning that the sewage system she “inherited” was not designed the way she would have chosen. [Surprise, surprise!]

[The things you have to do to earn a £1m crust these days!]

Looks like a case of a bad workman blaming her tools.

The essence of her reply is that it will all come good in 2028 when the Exmouth sewage treatment works are “upgraded” alongside increased pumping from the Budleigh Lime Kiln holding tank (with a little bit of surface water separation as well). Owl seems to remember that last December’s experiment in boosting pump pressure in Exmouth didn’t end well. – Stop Press – see below!

South West Water’s record on meeting investment deadlines is on “amber” alert, one of the worst in the industry and SWW has yet to submit any plans.

Stop Press

Coincidentally, as Owl was preparing this article a sewer main leading to this very treatment works burst, flooding the area, reported by Escape prompting an apology from Grace Denning, South West Water:· 

Geoff Crawford: “I hear some say that this has been running across the field and down Maer Lane, across into Littleham brook, out to sea all week.”

I guess the new daily water sample tests have picked that up.

Finally her parting shot

Finally: According to Susan Davy, South West Water is conducting more independent pollution sampling in bathing waters and rivers. At the Otter Head she states: “samples were obtained as the storm discharges were occurring and there is no evidence of impact on the receiving waters.” Owl finds this difficult to accept and wonders whether the sampling points are being “gamed”.

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14 Aug 2024

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Planning application validated by EDDC for week beginning 15 July

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More evidence that Labour may be going soft on reforming Ofwat and funding Environment Agency

Feargal Sharkey, who toured the country to campaign for Labour during the general election, said: “What we need right now is drive, determination and ambition to conduct a complete radical reform, a root and branch restructuring of a failed industry and a failed system of regulation. We really need leadership, which is currently somewhat sadly lacking.”

Doesn’t look like this will happen. – Owl

Activists warn of ‘extreme anger’ if ministers fail to reform water regulator

Anti-sewage campaigners have warned of “extreme anger” if the Labour government does not radically reform the water regulator.

Helena Horton www.theguardian.com 

Sources at the Environment Agency (EA) and in the Labour party have told the Guardian that while Labour had spent time considering reforms of the EA and Ofwat in order to fix the sewage crisis, some stricter options that had been proposed were now off the table.

Campaigners say the watchdog, Ofwat, has been too lax on the water companies and prioritised low bills over spending on improving sewer systems.

Last year there was a 105% rise in raw sewage spills into England’s rivers and seas – it was discharged for more than 3.6m hours and this made 2023 the worst year for storm water pollution.

Options sources say have been discussed with campaigners, the EA and other stakeholders included merging Ofwat and the EA, giving Ofwat more powers and a policy prioritising environmental benefits over costs to consumers, and giving the regulators more independence from government.

At the moment, for example, the EA shares a press office with Defra and its communications are directed by ministers, which makes it difficult to take long-term actions that the government could think too politically damaging, or to hold the government to account.

The EA faced steep funding cuts under Conservative government austerity which has made it difficult for the regulator to enforce environmental laws. Proposals to increase its funding will not be taken forward, the Guardian has been told.

Now policies that campaigners say are less ambitious have emerged and include working with the EA to stop water company self-monitoring for sewage spills – an initiative that was already happening under the Conservative government – and writing to Ofwat to ask them to make sure funding for vital infrastructure investment is ringfenced and can only be spent on upgrades benefiting customers and the environment.

The environment secretary, Steve Reed, has asked Ofwat to ensure that when money for investment is not spent, companies refund customers, with money never allowed to be diverted for bonuses, dividends or salary increases.

Charles Watson, the founder of River Action, said the government had promised regulatory reform of the water companies, adding: “Fixing the nation’s failed environmental regulatory system was rightly a central part of Labour’s environmental campaigning promises during the general election.

“A root cause of the extensive pollution of our waterways is the combination of Ofwat’s allowing of the water companies to pay out too much to shareholders at the expense of infrastructure investment and the Environment Agency’s failure to enforce existing regulations – thus enabling polluters to be able to act freely with impunity.

“[Failing to address these problems] will be met with extreme disappointment and anger by the huge numbers of the public who voted on 4 July to clean up our waterways.”

Water campaigner and former Undertones frontman Feargal Sharkey, who toured the country to campaign for Labour during the general election, said: “What we need right now is drive, determination and ambition to conduct a complete radical reform, a root and branch restructuring of a failed industry and a failed system of regulation. We really need leadership, which is currently somewhat sadly lacking.”

In the months running up to the election campaign, Reed spoke in parliament blaming weak and underfunded regulators for the sewage scandal. During one debate he said: “The Conservative government cut the EA’s resources in half. That led to a dramatic reduction in monitoring, enforcement and prosecutions, leaving illegal sewage spills to double between 2016 and 2021.”

He also referred to Ofwat as a “broken regulator”, and said: “If [water companies] downgrade and cover up sewage spills, they are rewarded with permission to increase their customers’ bills, which boosts their profits. Fewer reported spills – not actual, but reported – and more profits mean bigger bonuses for the water bosses.”

Doug Parr, the policy director for Greenpeace UK, said: “The government is as acutely aware as anyone that the current water and sewage system has failed, and that the regulators bear some of the responsibility for that failure. It has been the reckless prioritisation of dividends – while gaming the regulations – that is responsible for a significant amount of our current woes. Blocking this entirely should focus the industry on keeping pollution out of a revitalised water system, rather than just extracting cash from our dying one.”

The Green party MP for North Herefordshire, Ellie Chowns, added: “Refusing to strengthen regulation with the excuse we can’t afford to sets a dangerous precedent for our public services. The Environment Agency has already had its funding cut to the bone. The Labour government needs to reverse these Conservative cuts and give the agency the funding and teeth it needs to protect our natural environment.

“It demonstrates that Labour still don’t understand that restoring and defending our environment isn’t just an optional nice-to-have benefit but is fundamental to our wellbeing and economic prosperity.”

A Defra spokesperson said: “The new government will never look the other way while water companies pump record levels of sewage into our rivers, lakes and seas. We were elected on a mandate to strengthen regulation, crack down on water companies and begin the work of cleaning up Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas. That is exactly what we will do. The water (special measures) bill will deliver on our commitments, giving regulators new powers to ban the payment of bonuses for polluting water bosses and bring criminal charges against persistent lawbreakers.”

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13 Aug 2024

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Planning applications validated by EDDC for weeks beginning 1 July & 8 July

This week Owl will be posting some catch-ups on planning applications made during July

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12 Aug 2024

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East Devon District Council investing in East Devon play parks

Nine play areas will receive upgraded play equipment and safety surfaces as part of a £1million investment from East Devon District Council (EDDC).

Adam Manning www.midweekherald.co.uk 

The equipment at these locations has reached the end of its life and requires replacing. Exmouth’s play areas at Baker Close, Carter Avenue, Byron Way, and Littleham Village Hall, are amongst those which will be refurbished.

Whitebridges, Willow Walk and Allhallows play areas in Honiton will also be upgraded, as well as Slewton Crescent play area in Whimple and Land of Canaan play area in Ottery St Mary. 

Share your thoughts on what you would like to see in the refurbished play areas before 5pm on 23 August 2024 on EDDC’s Commonplace consultation website.

The consultation questions ask what local families think about the current play areas and the kinds of activities that they would like to be included in the refurbishment.

After the consultation, the council will identify its preferred supplier to manufacture the equipment. EDDC hopes to install the new play areas in summer next year. 

Councillor Geoff Jung’s EDDC’s Portfolio Holder for Coast, Country, and Environment, said:  “Recent upgrades to East Devon’s play areas in Budleigh Salterton, Beer, and Exmouth have proved very popular. I am delighted that nine extra locations will be refurbished, and I encourage local families to share their thoughts about what they would like to see at their nearest play area.”