The story so far...

A bit of background on the situation…
As I’m sure everyone is aware, there is a pipeline which runs along Rocky Beach in Trevone and out to sea. It was intended to be used as a measure of last resort to discharge untreated sewage, in the unlikely event of a power cut or some other very short term reason the pumping station (which transports the sewage to a treatment centre) could not cope. But it has been used frequently over the last 5+ years to discharge untreated sewage at Rocky Beach in Trevone.


2008 – An Overflow Pipeline in Disrepair…

From at least as early as 2008, the pipeline was full of holes and blocked so that it was impossible for it to convey overflows to the legally permitted location at the far North-West edge of Rocky Beach, so discharges took place via various holes along its length, and mainly from a location right at the pedestrian access slipway onto the beach. All of these discharges were illegal, being at unconsented locations.

In October 2010, as part of a general improvement programme required nationwide by the Environment Agency, South West Water installed monitoring and data telemetry equipment that enabled them to tell immediately if a spill was taking place. The data showed that there were discharges on 10 days from October to December 2010; 35 days in 2011; 49 days in 2012; 13 days in 2013; 41 days in 2014; then 11 days in a row during January 2015.
 
How frequently the Overflow Pipeline has been used to discharge RAW UNTREATED SEWAGE…

In 2015, shortly after a period of more illegal sewage discharges (see image above) South West Water did two things at about the same time in February/March 2015, which seem contradictory:

1. Firstly, after refusing for the last 3 years to mend the pipeline over its full length (as the Environment Agency had required them to do back in 2011), they suddenly mended it, so that it is now compliant with the existing permit, discharging when there is an overflow at the North West edge of the rock shelf:

2. Secondly, at the same time, having made the pipeline fully operational over its entire length, they applied to the Environment Agency for permission to shorten it by about 80 metres, so that it would discharge onto the rock shelf in amongst the rock pools - SO, SOUTH WEST WATER HAVE APPLIED TO MAKE IT LEGAL TO DISCHARGE ONTO THE ROCK SHELF ITSELF, TO A LOCATION THAT IS FULLY EXPOSED AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC AROUND LOW TIDE.

How to oppose the application…
Send your comments and letters of opposition to psc-waterquality@environment-agency.gov.uk by email, or by post to: Permitting Support Centre WQ Team, Quadrant 2, 99 Parkway Business Park, Sheffield S9 4WF, quoting the Application Reference 300014/V001.