Pollution problems will be dealt with vows water firm

SOUTH West Water has pledged to tackle problems at a sewage pumping station in Combe Martin.

The water company promised investment in the Lorna Irwin treatment works with public concern mounting over pollution in Combe Martin.

The Environment Agency recently warned that Combe Martin Beach could fail European guidelines on water quality to be introduced in 2015.

A sign could then be placed at the beach warning people that it is not fit for bathing.

Barnstaple magistrates recently ordered South West Water to pay £3,358 in fines and costs after the Environment Agency discovered poor treated effluent quality at the Lorna Irwin treatment works.

The works deals with sewage from households in Combe Martin.

Combe Martin parish councillor Peter Spencer said: "We want to see evidence of robust action by South West Water, working together with the Environment Agency and Combe Martin Parish Council to ensure the best quality of bathing waters to European standards for our residents and visitors.

"Unless this comes about, the alternative — public notices warning the water is unfit for bathing — will be catastrophic."

South West Water has since announced that it will invest £164,000 at the Lorna Irwin pumping station and that further upgrades costing £450,000 have also been identified for the next five years.

A spokesman for the company said: "The recent upgrades relate to providing additional secondary treatment at the sewage treatment works.

"The Combe Martin works, like many of the early Clean Sweep schemes, are being reviewed as part of the development of the revised bathing waters directive to ensure they meet future requirements.

"Under plans for the revised bathing waters directive, South West Water is working with the Environment Agency to investigate what factors affect the quality of Combe Martin bathing water. This includes reviewing the pumping station and sewage works performance as well as factors in the catchment, such as diffuse urban and agricultural pollution. Defra have confirmed that they expect all bathing waters to meet the minimum standard under the new directive. Therefore if our investigations identify improvements are required then funding will be sought to implement those improvements in time for the new directive."

Of the recent court case, the South West Water spokesman added: "We believe there was no significant impact on the local environment because the discharge is offshore from Combe Martin to the Atlantic and received substantial dilution. Ultraviolet disinfection was fully operational and exceeded the required dose under the Environment Agency consent and the flow rate through the sewage treatment works was well below the maximum permitted by the consent.

"The magistrates accepted the above points in relation to the discharge in their summation, describing the discharge as having 'no harmful effects'."