Richard Price, managing director of waste water services at South West Water, said the firm had continued to reduce storm overflow use despite south-west England experiencing 62% more rainfall than the rest of England in 2025.
“Against that backdrop, we have reduced spills by 17% in the last year and spill duration is down by 25%,” he said.
He said the company had a “clear focus” of prioritising beaches during the bathing season and targeting the highest spilling sites.
“We have reduced by 50% the number of sites that spill more than 100 times per year, and our top five spilling sites have reduced spills by 50% following targeted interventions,” he added.
“Since last year, more than 8,300 spills have been prevented as a direct result of investment and operational improvements.
“This forms part of our 15-year plan, backed by around £760m of investment to 2030.”