For nearly two years, we’ve been navigating a frustrating journey to secure essential information about sewage discharges from South West Water.
This data is critical for improving our Safer Seas & Rivers Service app, a tool designed to protect water users by providing accurate, real-time information. Despite our efforts, we’ve hit a wall with South West Water (SWW). Their refusal to grant us access to Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) discharge data has forced us to take action.
South West Water claims to enhance transparency through their WaterFit Live map, which supplements beach alerts. Yet, when it comes to sharing this data with us—a move that would directly empower water users—they’ve consistently declined. In June 2024, we reached out to SWW’s CEO, pressing for access and accountability. Unfortunately, our calls for cooperation were met with broken promises.
This isn’t just a complaint; it’s a fight for accountability. We turned to the Consumer Council for Water, only to find they couldn’t help. Submitting a complaint to the environmental regulator wasn’t an option either, so we escalated the issue to OFWAT, the water industry regulator, questioning SWW’s commitment to transparency.
Years of meetings, public appeals, and explaining the life-saving potential of this data have led us nowhere
In an unprecedented move, we’ve severed ties with our technical contacts at SWW until they take meaningful steps toward sharing the information we need. It’s worth noting that we haven’t faced this level of resistance with any other water company.
This fight isn’t about us; it’s about the public’s right to know. Water users deserve clear, accessible information about the risks they face, and we’re committed to holding SWW accountable. Transparency isn’t optional—it’s essential.
The letter:
Dear OFWAT,
I am writing on behalf of the organisation, Surfers Against Sewage, to seek clarification on the legitimacy of a potential complaint regarding data transparency. We wish to understand whether this matter falls within OFWAT’s investigatory remit before formally submitting our complaint with all supporting evidence.
Background:
South West Water provides combined sewer overflow information via their website as part of their WaterFit Live alerting service.Despite repeated requests, we have been consistently denied access to this data, leading to public confusion and a reduction in the accuracy of the health information provided by our Safer Seas and Rivers Service.
While there is currently no legal obligation for South West Water to provide this data, our evidence demonstrates that several attempts to access the information have been ignored or denied. This has resulted in a critical misalignment between their platform and our service, which we believe jeopardises the safety of water users.
We are deeply concerned that South West Water’s actions are compromising public health and undermining their stated commitment to transparency.
Request:
We have gathered substantial evidence to support this issue, but before proceeding with a full submission, we respectfully request confirmation as to whether this complaint falls within OFWAT’s purview for investigation.
We appreciate your attention to this matter and await your guidance.Sincerely,
Surfers Against Sewage