{"id":633875,"date":"2026-06-11T22:53:20","date_gmt":"2026-06-11T22:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/633875\/"},"modified":"2026-06-11T22:53:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T22:53:20","slug":"devon-council-leader-says-water-bosses-should-be-locked-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/633875\/","title":{"rendered":"Devon council leader says water bosses should be ‘locked up’"},"content":{"rendered":"

The council is planning to host its Devon’s first Water Quality Summit in the autumn, external<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Organisers said the summit aimed to bring together regulators, water companies, district councils, landowners, community groups and other stakeholders.<\/p>\n

A SWW spokesperson said: “We recognise concerns about water quality in Devon and we continue to work proactively with councils to discuss our local plans and deliver improvements.<\/p>\n

“We are looking forward to the opportunity to discuss our multimillion-pound plans to improve water quality at Devon County Council’s water summit. <\/p>\n

“We appreciate the opportunity to help shape the event and continue to engage constructively with the council.”<\/p>\n

Keith Haslett, the new chief executive of Pennon<\/a>, which owns SWW, said the group could not comment on the Devon council’s plans, but said the group “fully respects the outcome of the legal process”.<\/p>\n

South West Water provides water and sewerage services to about 1.8 million customers in Devon and Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, plus small parts of Dorset and Somerset.<\/p>\n

A lawsuit by law firm Leigh Day against SWW over sewage pollution<\/a> includes people from the Devon towns of Dawlish, Sidmouth, Teignmouth, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Lympstone, as well as Newquay and Penzance in Cornwall. <\/p>\n

Lawyers argued SWW’s failings were “wide and entrenched in many coastal towns across the Devon and Cornwall region”.<\/p>\n

The utility said at the time it was aware of the claim but it was unable to provide further comment.<\/p>\n

In March, SWW admitted 18 pollution offences<\/a> across Devon and Cornwall after years of illegal spills which affected rivers, beaches and protected wildlife habitats. It is due to be sentenced on 30 July.<\/p>\n

SWW was fined \u00a32.1m in 2023 for similar pollution offences<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Environment Agency said one of the spills at Kilmington led to the deaths of thousands of fish, including some protected species, in the River Axe.<\/p>\n

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, external<\/a>, Facebook, external<\/a> and Instagram, external<\/a>. Follow BBC Devon on X, external<\/a>, Facebook, external<\/a> and Instagram, external<\/a>. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk, external<\/a>.<\/p>\n