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 map showing an ongoing combined sewer overflow activation at the Shebbear sewage treatment works storm overflow, recorded at 2 PM GMT on February 17th 2026.

West Devon Free Press combined sewer overflow database entries on February 17th 2026, revealing that the Shebbear sewage treatment works storm overflow had been overflowing into the River Torridge intermittently for several days.

South West Water's map showing an ongoing combined sewer overflow activation at the Halwill sewage treatment works storm overflow, recorded at 12 PM GMT on February 17th 2026.

West Devon Free Press combined sewer overflow database entries on February 17th 2026, revealing that the Halwill sewage treatment works storm overflow had been overflowing into the River Carey and thence the River Tamar intermittently for several weeks.

Moving inland to our local rivers, the multi-day #CSO activations at Shebbear and Halwill continue.

Our #WestDevonCSO database reveals that South West Water's web site is being "economical with the truth" about the duration of the continuing #sewage "spills".

Cc: @geoffrey-cox-mp.bsky.social

3/

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

8/

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

7/

Water UK map showing a combined sewer overflow activation at the Shebbear sewage treatment works storm overflow which started on February 15th 2026.

West Devon Free Press combined sewer overflow database entries on February 15th 2026, revealing that the Shebbear sewage treatment works storm overflow had been overflowing into the River Torridge intermittently for several days.

South West Water map showing a multi-day combined sewer overflow activation at the Shebbear sewage treatment works storm overflow on February 13th 2026, which started on February 11th.

Further north in Torridge, the Water UK map shows the Shebbear sewage treatment works storm overflow started overflowing this morning.

Which hides the fact that the CSO has been overflowing into the River Torridge intermittently for several days.

Cc: @geoffrey-cox-mp.bsky.social

5/

#WestDevonCSO

South West Water's map of combined sewer overflow activations at Torcross in South Devon, recorded at 15:50 GMT on February 10th 2026

An extract from the West Devon Combined Sewer Overflow database for the Slapton sewage treatment works settled storm overflow on February 10th 2026

An extract from the West Devon Combined Sewer Overflow database for the Slapton storm overflow on February 10th 2026

"Even more concerning is the fact that the two CSO’s in Slapton have been overflowing continuously, if intermittently, into Slapton Ley for many days.

It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and was declared a National Nature Reserve in 1993"

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

2/n

#WestDevonCSO

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

4/n

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!

5/n

Combined Sewer Overflow Monitor historical sewage pollution data for Portreath on the north coast of Cornwall at 09:00 UTC on February 24th 2025

Details of sewage pollution at Westward Ho! on the north coast of Devon from South West Water's "WaterFit Live" map at 09:00 UTC on February 24th 2025

Combined Sewer Overflow Monitor historical sewage pollution data for Westward Ho! on the north coast of Devon at 09:00 UTC on February 24th 2025

Of course in actual fact the 💩 has been plopping into the North Atlantic at Portreath for much longer than the few hours revealed on South West Water's map.

The #WestDevonCSO data from further north at Westward Ho! is also very "interesting":

west-devon.info/projects/com...

3/n

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

2/n

Hello @jonsopel1.bsky.social,

#StormDarragh is currently barrelling towards the coast of North #Devon.

Please pass on to the rest of #TeamPoirot that things don't look good for the #Woolacombe #PooPipe.

#SewagePollution #WestDevonCSO

Cc: @tom--scott.bsky.social @robtibbles.bsky.social

13/n

FYI our nascent #WestDevonCSO application uses a proverbial "cunning trick" to get around [much of] this issue.

In which case, perhaps you are able answer my question?

Which SWW could/would not.

Reposted from the birdsite:

"Why do some [SWW] CSOs appear have a null 'ID' field?"

And a null "polluted watercourse" field too.

#WestDevonCSO