South West Water commit to being 'water fit' by 2040 - 10 years ahead of schedule

South West Water, which operates across Devon and Cornwall and parts of Somerset, have committed to be 'water fit' by 2040 - a decade faster than the Government target of 2050.

It's part of their Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan (DWMP), with the company saying they are 'serious' about reducing their impact on the environment.

Part of the plans include getting rid of pollution in the water and increasing the use of 'nature based solutions' in their water recycling system.

In June 2022, the company published their first draft of their DWMP, and following a consultation, have decided to prioritise their efforts tackling the challenge of storm overflows 'as soon as practicable'.

South West Water say they heard what customers and stakeholders said, and amended the final plan to reflect these views.

John Halsall, COO of South West Water, said: "We have listened to our customers and stakeholders and this is another example of how serious we are about reducing our use of storm overflows and investing responsibly to reduce our impact on the environment.

"We want our customers to have a water company they are proud of, and this is one of many steps we are taking to help rebuild trust, over time by taking action."

DWMPs are long-term plans that outline how the company intends to approach and manage sewerage and wastewater in the region over the next 25 years.

South West Water has set out how they will evolve their water recycling system into one that future generations, with four main goals:

• Protect people, homes and businesses from flooding
• Support tourism and the long-term economic health of the region
• Increase the use of nature-based solutions, innovating to protect our unique environment and reducing our carbon footprint
• Eradicate pollutions and the damage caused by plastics, fats and wet wipes for the long-term benefit of all

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