South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing recent combined sewer overflow activations affecting the bathing beaches of Devon and Cornwall on February 26th 2026

South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing the most recent combined sewer overflow activation at the Maer Road pumping station in Exmouth on February 26th 2026

West Devon Free Press combined sewer overflow database entries on February 26th 2026, showing a list of the most recent combined sewer overflow activations at the Maer Road pumping station in Exmouth.

Speaking of sewage pollution in Exmouth, and elsewhere in South West England 👇

west-devon.info/2026/02/febr...

Our #WestDevonCSO database reveals the truth that South West Water's #WaterFitLive map hides:

South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing a 4.5 hour combined sewer overflow activation at the Old Mill Road storm overflow in Torquay which started on the morning of February 16th 2026.

West Devon Free Press combined sewer overflow database entries on February 16th 2026, revealing that the Old Mill Road storm overflow had been operating almost continuously since January 26th

According to South West Water's #WaterFitLive map the Old Mill Road storm overflow in Torquay was active for 4.5 hours this morning.

However, the #WestDevonCSO database shows that the CSO has been operating almost continuously since January 26th.

Cc: @stevedarlingmp.bsky.social

#WestDevonCSO

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South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing a multi-day combined sewer overflow activation at the St Merryn storm overflow near Harlyn in North Cornwall which started on February 15th 2026.

West Devon Free Press combined sewer overflow database entries on February 16th 2026, revealing that the St Merryn storm overflow had been operating almost continuously since January 20th, with numerous brief gaps after February 5th.

According to South West Water's #WaterFitLive map the St. Merryn storm overflow at Harlyn in North Cornwall has now been in operation for a day and a bit.

However, the #WestDevonCSO database shows the CSO has been operating almost continuously since January 20th:

Cc: @benmaguiremp.bsky.social

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South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing a multi-day combined sewer overflow activation at Woolacombe in North Devon on February 15th 2026, which started on January 26th.

South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing a multi-day combined sewer overflow activation at Woolacombe in North Devon which started on February 15th 2026.

Some of the "combined sewer overflows" shown on SWW's #WaterFitLive map of bathing beaches have been active for many days.

The infamous "poo pipe" at Woolacombe in North Devon has been on the go since January 26th. The nearby CSO at Croyde started at lunchtime today.

Cc: @ianroome.bsky.social

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South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map showing a brief combined sewer overflow activation at Portreath on the North coast of Cornwall on February 9th 2026

An extract from the West Devon Free Press's database of combined sewer overflow activations at Portreath during February 2026. Part 1 of 2

An extract from the West Devon Free Press's database of combined sewer overflow activations at Portreath during February 2026. Part 2 of 2

Further west still, the Bridge pumping station overflow at Portreath is active yet again.

Although it's impossible to know this from SWW's #WaterFitLive web page, our #WestDevonCSO database reveals that it has actually been in operation for much of this year👇

Cc: @perranmoonmp.bsky.social

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Water UK map of active combined sewer overflows across Devon and Cornwall at 7:45 AM on January 30th 2026

Water UK map of active combined sewer overflows near the River Exe estuary at 7:45 AM on January 30th 2026

Water UK map of active combined sewer overflows near the River Taw estuary at 9:45 AM on January 30th 2026

SWW's #WaterFitLive web site wasn't working properly this morning:

west-devon.info/2026/01/stor...

Forced to look at a map of all UK combined sewer overflows, I couldn't help but notice that #sewage has been flowing into lots of local rivers as well, including the #Exe and the #Taw estuaries.

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South West Water's WaterFit Live map of active combined sewer overflows in Exmouth, Devon at 22:15 on January 28th 2026

South West Water's WaterFit Live map of active combined sewer overflows in Exmouth, Devon at 9:30 AM on January 29th 2026

An extract from West-Devon.info's database of combined sewer overflow activations in South West England at 9:30 AM on January 29th 2026

A recent example illustrates a perennial problem with publicly available #SewagePollution information in the UK.

A multi-day overflow at #Exmouth finished at some point overnight.

You can't see that when using SWW's #WaterFitLive web site though.

However, see the #WestDevonCSO database!

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This evening South West Water's #WaterFitLive map shows an ongoing #SewagePollution problem at Lynmouth on the coast of North Devon:

west-devon.info/2025/07/july...

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South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map of combined sewer overflow activations around the coasts of Devon and Cornwall at 08:00 UTC on February 24th 2025

Details of sewage pollution at Widemouth Bay in North Cornwall on South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map at 08:00 UTC on February 24th 2025

Details of sewage pollution at Polzeath in North Cornwall on South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map at 08:00 UTC on February 24th 2025

This morning’s #WaterFitLive map of #SewagePollution around the coasts of #Devon & #Cornwall shows a sea of yellow warnings

Starting in our corner of the West Country, the ongoing sewage “spills” at Widemouth Bay and Polzeath began yesterday afternoon.

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The sun rising behind Dartmoor at 8:00 on February 1st 2025

The Surfline surf forecast for Widemouth Bay on February 1st 2025

South West Water's WaterFit Live sewage pollution map on February 1st 2025

It was beautifully crisp and clear when the sun rose on Saturday.

There was no sewage pollution on the #WaterFitLive map for the North #Cornwall coast, and the #surf forecast looked more than sufficient.

A trip to the coast was called for, despite the frost on the ground!

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#WestDevonWx

South West Water's WaterFit Live sewage pollution map at 10:00 on January 28th 2025

South West Water's map of the combined sewer overflow at Widemouth Bay in North ornwall at 9:45 on January 28th 2025

South West Water's map of the combined sewer overflow at Westward Ho! in North Devon at 9:30 on January 28th 2025

The rain across the West Country has continued overnight, so there are still plenty of #SewagePollution warnings on the #WaterFitLive map this morning:

west-devon.info/2025/01/janu...

In our corner of the South West there have been further brief "spills" at Widemouth Bay and Westward Ho!

🧵1/n

South West Water's map of combined sewer overflows at Plymouth in Devon at 11:00 on January 27th 2025

The West Devon Free Press's Combined Sewer Overflow raw data for the Forder Valley CSO at Plymouth in Devon at 11:00 on January 27th 2025

The #WaterFitLive map for #Plymouth Hoe East shows that the current activation of the Forder Valley #CSO started at 18:16 yesterday evening.

However, the data acquired by our #WDCSO project reveals that the #SewagePollution pollution incident actually started at 9:04 AM yesterday:

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South West Water's WaterFit Live sewage pollution map at 10:00 on January 26th 2025

NetWeather's rain radar map of South West England at 10:00 on January 26th 2025

The UK Met Office's surface pressure chart at 00:00 on January 26th 2025

In the wake of #StormÉowyn there's been plenty more wind and rain overnight across South West England.

South West Water's #WaterFitLive map is a sea of yellow #SewagePollution warnings once again

west-devon.info/2025/01/janu...

And there's yet another storm on the way

@metoffice.bsky.social

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The Bristol Channel coast of North #Devon received the worst of the winds, not to mention plenty of #SewagePollution too.

South West Water's #WaterFitLive web site suggests that there's only been a few minutes of potential pollution at Combe Martin today.

However...

#WestDevonCSO #TruthDecay

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While #StormDarragh is still way out in the North Atlantic, here's how South West Water's #WaterfitLive map of #SewagePollution looks this evening:

west-devon.info/2024/12/dece...

How many yellow warnings will there be by this time tomorrow?

#EndSewagePollution in #Devon & #Kernow!

Today's #WaterFitLive map is not as yellow as yesterday's, but there are still several ongoing multi-day #SewagePollution incidents:

west-devon.info/2024/11/nove...

Let’s begin with #Portreath on the north coast of #Cornwall, followed by #Pentewan and #Plymouth once again on the south coast:

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The NetWeather rain radar map of Devon and Cornwall at 09:00 BST on September 22nd 2024

The UK Environment Agency's SwimInfo map on the morning of September 22nd 2024

South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map of sewage overflows around the coast of Devon and Cornwall on the morning of September 22nd 2024

The forecast heavy rain has arrived:

west-devon.info/2024/09/sept...

Consequently the Environment Agency's #SwimInfo map is now covered with #PollutionRisk warnings.

South West Water’s #WaterFitLive map now contains many #SewagePollution alerts along the south coast of #Devon & #Cornwall

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South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map of sewage overflows around the coast of Devon and Cornwall on the afternoon of September 21st 2024

Far be it from me to say "I told you so":

west-devon.info/2024/09/sept...

Nevertheless, here is South West Water's current #WaterFitLive map of active sewage overflows around the coast of #Cornwall 👇

#SewagePollution #WaterQuality

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UK Environment Agency “advice against bathing” due to “pollution from sewage” at Pentewan, Cornwall on September 20th 2024

South West Water’s WaterFit Live map for Pentewan, Cornwall on September 20th 2024

The UK's Environment Agency has issued an “advice against bathing” due to “pollution from sewage” at #Pentewan on the south coast of #Cornwall:

west-devon.info/2024/09/sept...

However, there is no indication of the problem on South West Water’s #WaterFitLive map for the beach.

#SewagePollution