Campaigners across Devon 'continue to fight to clean up our waterways'
There's been a public meeting in Exmouth, while campaigners have also created a Devon Rivers' Manifesto for politicians
Last updated 18th Sep 2024
A packed public meeting has resulted in a Devon town looking to take legal action against South West water over recent pollution incidents.
Campaigners and businesses in Exmouth are now looking to bring the first collective claim of its kind - saying spills have impacted tourism.
There's more details about the meeting here
There's more about the pollution incidents in Exmouth and the campaign for clean water, as well as South West Water's response here.
It comes as - across Devon - there’s calls for areas to work better together along entire river ‘catchments’ and for farmers to get more help.
Avon ‘river champion’ Louise Wainwright started an eight-point 'Devon Rivers' manifesto - which she wants the county's MPs to sign up to.
She said: "You can just keep shouting about it, you have to do something - finding out carefully in a catchment where the problem is, how big the problem and what the practical solutions are is essential."
Louise wants buffer zones to stop the rain washing chemicals from fields into streams - and also zones to stop farm animals getting into waterways which can act as a pollutant,
She said: "Water will run down, which is not in the farmers' interest - as it's a waste of money - bringing both soil and excess nitrogen and phosphate into the water - that's really bad for fish and aquatic life in general."
The River Manifesto calls for 'Devon Rivers to be of overall good Ecological Status by 2030' and also 'Southwest Water to ensure sewage treatment and wastewater works have adequate hydraulic capacity as specified in their Discharge Permits before paying dividends & bonuses'.