South West Water Cuts Spills at UK Treatment Works

South West Water, the utility responsible for water and wastewater services in South West England, has reported a 76% reduction in storm overflow spills at its St Cleer Sewage Treatment Works in Cornwall. Storm overflows are a feature of sewer networks worldwide, used to prevent flooding during heavy rainfall, but they can lead to untreated wastewater entering rivers or coastal waters. To reduce this risk, the St Cleer site has been upgraded with a new stainless steel storm tank that operates alongside an existing unit to provide additional storage during peak flows.

The project also includes a debris screening system and a washdown mechanism to maintain reliable operation. These upgrades form part of South West Water’s £760 million investment plan to curb storm overflows across the region. The company says it is working towards reducing average spills per overflow to fewer than ten each year by 2040, ten years ahead of the UK government’s national target.

“This is another great example of how targeted investment and the hard work of our teams is delivering real results. While much of this year has clearly seen less rain than last year, by increasing storage and improving how flows are managed at St Cleer, we’re helping to protect local rivers and reduce our reliance on storm overflows. We’re really pleased with the results we have seen so far and the progress we are making across the region but we know there is more to do.” said Karl Stone, South West Water’s Wastewater Operations Manager for Liskeard.

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