Sewage spills not recorded on time, report claims
Loretta CoxCampaigners claim South West Water failed to report more than 3,000 sewage discharges within the legally required time of an hour, in the first half of this year.
In its annual report into water quality Surfers Against Sewage said the water firm's sewage spills during dry weather last more than 12,000 hours.
The conservation charity also said between January and August, 625 people reported being unwell after using rivers, lakes and beaches in the South West on its app.
The water company said it was reviewing the methodology behind its sewage discharge figures, adding: "There may be differences in how the data has been interpreted." It added it treated all illness reports seriously.
Since January 2025 water companies in England have had to report sewage discharges within an hour so the public is aware of water conditions.
The report is based on data from Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made by the charity.
Giles Bristow, chief executive at Surfers Against Sewage, said: "Imagine checking for a sewage alert, heading out for a swim or a surf, and finding sewage has been pouring into the sea for hours."
He said the campaign group's figures showed water companies across England had failed to report sewage discharges on time more than 50,000 times this year which was "a threat to public health, and illegal".
Swimming coach Loretta Cox said she became "severely ill" after being in the sea off the coast of Looe last year.
"I was training for a swim last July and the water was murky but I thought the sand had been disturbed or something," she said.
"Later that evening I was in a lot of abdominal pain and by the morning it was no better so I sought medical help."
After a two-week course of antibiotics she was feeling worse and said "a test came back that it was E. coli - and I'm 100% certain it was from the swim".
Surfers Against Sewage said in 2025, 1,568 sickness reports were submitted through its Safer Seas and Rivers Service app in the UK.
From January to August 2026, that number was 1,687, it added.
"As these figures only capture cases reported directly to the charity, they are likely to represent only a fraction of the true scale of illness experienced by water users," it said.
'Taking action'
The report also said South West Water recorded 1,380 dry spills, lasting 12,567 hours, in the first half of 2026, despite water companies only being permitted to use storm overflows during heavy rainfall.
South West Water said: "We provide storm overflow notifications in near real time and are reviewing the methodology behind these figures.
"Our initial assessment suggests there may be differences in how the data has been interpreted.
"We are clear that storm overflows must only be used when necessary and we're taking action to reduce spills.
"We're investing £760m to tackle storm overflows and have reduced spills by 17% in the last year alone, with spill duration down by 25%.
"We are sorry to hear of any illness and take all illness reports seriously.
"It is important to note that water quality can be affected by a range of factors, including rainfall, agricultural run-off and urban drainage, which is why we encourage people to check WaterFit Live for the latest bathing water monitoring information."
'We will act'
The Water Services Regulation Authority Ofwat said any sewage spill into the environment was "one too many".
"Water companies must do better and we expect them to operate, maintain and upgrade their wastewater networks so they can cope with increasing pressures, including periods of heavy rainfall," it said.
"We have already secured more than £300m in fines and enforcement packages for wastewater breaches.
"Where there is evidence companies fail to meet their legal requirements, we will act."
