Part of the function of a water and sewerage undertaker is to collect and treat wastewater and return it to the environment. Without treatment the wastewater from domestic and residential premises, industrial wastewater discharges to sewers and rainwater contaminated with metals, oils and other pollutants from run-off in urban areas draining to sewers, would have significant adverse impacts on the water environment. Effective treatment also means treated wastewater can be returned to the environment to maintain river flows for conservation, fisheries and recreational interests.
Like all water and wastewater companies, our investment programme and operational practices are required to adhere to strict regulatory controls, as set out by the Environment Agency. To safeguard river, shellfish and bathing water quality we aim to ensure the wastewater we return to the environment is treated to the required standards. All our discharges are permitted by the Environment Agency and it is these permits that set out the required standards and levels of treatment required to protect the environment.
South West Water is the regulator for industrial wastewater discharges to the public sewer. The company conducts careful checks before permitting any release into the sewer, and monitors compliance with those consents. This is designed to protect both our processes and the environment from harm by ensuring levels discharged to the sewer are safe, treatable and do not harm the integrity of the sewer.
Objectives and Targets
Our objectives and targets for effluent management are driven by environmental compliance to ensure the treated wastewater returned to the environment (discharge) meets the environmental standards agreed with our regulator. Our target is 100% compliance.
Our effluent management compliance performance can be found within South West Water's Annual Performance Report.
Tackling storm overflows and pollutions is one of our four strategic priorities for 2025-2030. Our capital investment of £3.2 billion across the regions we serve includes our base maintenance programme alongside an extensive enhancement programme, focused on delivering against our four priorities. These plans include:
- 291 overflow improvements – 100% of storm overflows at bathing waters addressed
- Adding over 250,000m3 of storage to capture rainfall and reduce overflows – 62% reduction targeted from 2023/24 levels
- Removing rainwater draining into our sewerage network by a volume equivalent to over 350 hectares
- Upgrading over 200km of our sewer network