Exmouth Devon: Water firm slammed for 'damaging' UK town leaving locals 'anxious' and fearing 'getting ill' after sewage spills

Geoff Crawford, a local resident in Exmouth who runs the ESCAPE (End Sewage Convoys And Pollution Exmouth) Facebook page, posted on Facebook that there is “now few people swimming each morning” at Exmouth beach, adding “shame on South West Water for the implications of their decision to not replace the rising main and thinking purely financially.” Locals responded to his post sharing their anger at the water firm.

One local wrote he is “gutted” that he “can’t go swimming” and his mental and physical wellbeing is “affected”. The local added: “Living by the sea is supposed to bring Joy, not anxiety and the risk of getting ill. Clean up your act SWW!”.

Another local wrote: “I used to go two to three times a week and got me through the toughest times in my life; I’ve been twice in six months due to the spills”. The anger comes after a sewer pipe burst at Maer Road pumping station on Wednesday 14 August which caused raw waste to leak into the sea just off Exmouth. The incident prompted 'do not bathe' warnings from the local council and the Environment Agency (EA).

Local businesses in Exmouth told NationalWorld how they have been “hugely impacted” by sewage spills. Derek Johnson, who runs the Exmouth SUP & Paddle Group, said the “current issues with discharge into the seas has had a huge impact on our group members” as “the current state of our sea water is simply disgusting”. He said he has noticed how instead of checking the weather, many will now check whether the water is safe to swim in before joining the group’s local events.

Mr Crawford said the “locals are now anxious when considering one thing that used to ease anxiety and aid our minds and bodies” and it is “quite sad”. South West Water said: “We understand and appreciate the concerns of our customers in light of the recent bursts in the area. We are doing everything we can to protect the environment and are making good progress as we work around the clock to complete this complex permanent fix in Exmouth.

“We are investing around £38 million in the Exmouth area up to 2030. This includes upgrading our pumping stations and treatment works to significantly reduce the number of spills and further protect the environment.”