Blog - The West Devon Free Press

February Sewage Pollution in South West England

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:14 February 2025
Post category:News
Post comments:0 Comments

After several dry days a band of rain is once again crossing South West England. Needless to say there are already several sewage pollution warnings on this morning’s WaterFit Live map from South West Water:

Before we dive into the details of those, yesterday afternoon the Environment Agency issued an “Advice against bathing” warning due to sewage pollution at Westward Ho!

On the south coast of Cornwall there are already ongoing CSO activations at Falmouth, Penzance and Polurrian Cove near Mullion:

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Are UK Water Companies “Merchants of Doubt”?

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:28 January 2025
Post category:Water Quality
Post comments:2 Comments

The "Merchants of Doubt" in my title for today refers to a book of that name written by Erik M. Conway and Naomi Oreskes. Here's a trailer for the film…

Storm Éowyn (and Herminia!) in Devon and Cornwall

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:21 January 2025
Post category:Weather
Post comments:0 Comments

I've been looking at the UK Met Office's forecast charts for the coming weekend, and this one issued at noon yesterday shows a very strong storm arriving north of Ireland…

January Sewage Pollution in South West England

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:6 January 2025
Post category:Water Quality
Post comments:0 Comments

After a long dry spell the heavens have opened over South West England once again. Here is this evening’s WaterFit Live map from South West Water:

In our corner of Devon there have been multi-hour CSO activations at Woolacombe, Ilfracombe and Lynmouth, plus our nearest surfing beach at Widemouth Bay in North Cornwall:

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Storm Darragh in Devon and Cornwall

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:6 December 2024
Post category:Weather
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The Met Office has issued an amber warning for both wind and rain across South West England. There is also a red warning for wind across West Wales and the…

December Sewage Pollution in South West England

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:1 December 2024
Post category:Water Quality
Post comments:0 Comments

Before we get on to the large number of sewage pollution incidents around the coast of Devon and Cornwall at the beginning of December, we have an announcement to make.The…

November Sewage Pollution in South West England

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:18 November 2024
Post category:Water Quality
Post comments:0 Comments

After a long dry spell it has started raining once again in South West England. This evening South West Water's WaterFit Live map of combined sewer overflow activations looks like…

October Sewage Pollution in South West England

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:3 October 2024
Post category:Water Quality
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South West Water's WaterFit Live map of combined sewer overflow (CSO for short) activations currently only contains a couple of offline event duration monitors (EDM for short) at Totnes and…

September Sewage Pollution in South West England

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:4 September 2024
Post category:Water Quality
Post comments:0 Comments

The Met Office has issued a series of yellow weather warnings for heavy rain across Devon and Cornwall, from the evening of Wednesday September 4th until midnight on Friday September…

Ofwat’s 2024 Price Review

Post author:Jim Hunt
Post published:11 July 2024
Post category:Water Quality
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In a press release this morning Ofwat announced the findings of their draft price review for 2025-29: Ofwat has today proposed allowing a spending package of £88bn by water companies.…