EXETER — South West Water has been rated the worst environmental performer among England’s water firms in a new analysis, with the highest sewage spill duration and some of the poorest bathing water results. Friends of the Earth said the company, which serves Devon, Cornwall and parts of Dorset and Somerset, came in the top three worst in four of six categories it examined.
The figures suggest the south-west is bearing a heavy share of England’s sewage pollution problem. Friends of the Earth said the company recorded the longest total duration of sewage spill events since 2024, averaging 574,323 hours a year. Its designated bathing sites also logged 666 pollution incidents and warnings in 2025 alone, more than any other water company area in England.
Bathing waters and spill duration place pressure on south-west coast
Friends of the Earth assessed water companies across six measures: sewage spills, bathing-site water quality, pollution incidents or warnings at bathing sites, the severity of sewage pollution at bathing sites, the share of rivers below good ecological standard, and the affordability of bills.
South West Water’s catchment includes 157 official bathing sites. Where a site is designated, the Environment Agency monitors water quality during the bathing season to help protect public health. The company’s spill total was almost 200,000 hours higher than the runners-up, Severn Trent and Yorkshire Water, according to the analysis.
The findings also underline the scale of scrutiny faced by coastal communities in Devon and Cornwall, where bathing water quality is particularly important for residents, tourists and local businesses. Friends of the Earth said South West Water’s performance showed that pollution remained a major concern despite regulation and monitoring.
Bills rise while campaigners argue investment has not solved pollution
Friends of the Earth said South West Water’s roughly 1.8 million customers also face some of the highest bills in England, at £726 a year on average. Since 2024, bills have risen by 39%, making it the second biggest increase in England. Southern Water has the highest average bill, at £281 more than in 2024, according to the campaign group.
Kierra Box, a water campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said ministers needed to produce a stronger clean water bill with a “meaningful plan” to restore rivers and seas. She said people were tired of promises that only make superficial changes, and called for a “complete overhaul” of the water system to end sewage pollution.
The group is also urging the government to nationalise water companies. That call comes amid wider debate about how failing utilities should be handled and whether public control would better protect rivers and coastal waters.
Water companies and government defend reform plans as pressure grows
South West Water said it manages more than a third of England’s designated bathing waters and said improving water quality is a major priority. A company spokesperson said storm overflow spills were down 17% and spill duration down 25% over the past year, despite higher rainfall across the region.
The company said it is on track to meet new Environment Act bathing water standards by 2030, five years ahead of the national deadline, and pointed to record investment across the south-west. Water UK said no sewage spill is acceptable and that the industry is tripling investment over the next five years to halve spills from storm overflows and upgrade 1,700 wastewater treatment works.
A Defra spokesperson said it was unacceptable for some firms to pollute rivers, lakes and seas while failing to offer value for money. The department said the government is pressing ahead with the biggest overhaul of the water sector in a generation, including new legislation intended to give the public more control and keep bills as low as possible.
Thames Water remains under close government attention amid financial uncertainty
Friends of the Earth’s criticism also comes as questions continue over the future of Thames Water. Recent reports suggested the prime minister, Andy Burnham, had considered changes to insolvency laws to make it easier to bring utilities such as water companies into public control.
The Times reported that Burnham had later shelved plans to place Thames Water into administration because of the cost and legal risks. Defra said Thames Water remained financially stable, but added that the government was ready for all eventualities, including applying for a special administration regime if needed.
The wider dispute has sharpened attention on the sector’s performance, bills and ownership. For campaigners, the South West Water figures are another sign that the current system is failing to stop sewage pollution and deliver consistent environmental standards.
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