THE Environment Agency has handed South West Water a damning report card, branding it the worst company in England for sewage pollution since 2011. 

The public body said the water company still “requires improvement”, giving it two out of four stars again for 2023 in its yearly report on the environmental performance of England’s nine water and sewerage companies. 

It said it was the worst performing company for “pollution incidents” in the Environmental Performance Assessment’s 13-year history. 

South West Water scored red for the 13th year with 194 pollution incidents in total (111 incidents per 10,000 kilometres of sewer) compared to 108 pollution incidents (62 incidents per 10,000 kilometres of sewer) in 2022.  

It also performed significantly below target for discharge permit compliance with 12 failing sites, the worst of all the companies. 

Four other water companies were handed a two-star rating. One was given three stars and three four stars. 

“South West Water’s environmental performance last year was really disappointing and has affected the performance of the sector as a whole,” Environment Manager for the Environment Agency’s Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly area Clarissa Newell said.  

“Consistently poor performance is not tolerated; we’ve ensured the company has plans in place to reduce pollution and improve permit compliance and we’re stepping up our regulatory scrutiny this year.  

“South West Water was fined over £2m last year.  With an increase in dedicated staff to regulate water companies and a quadrupling of site inspections, companies failing to comply with the law will be penalised.”