Torridge & West Devon is ranked the worst constituency in England for sewage overflows, based on data from 2022. In the wake of this shocking news, Green Party councillors on Torridge District Council called for South West Water (SWW) to be stripped of its consultee role on planning applications for new housing. Cllr Peter Christie, who sits on Torridge's Planning Committee and is Vice-Chairman of the council, said: "Over the last decade, SWW have, with very few exceptions, answered Torridge District Council’s consultation requests with a simple answer of 'Has no objection'. But there's an obvious conflict of interest here as SWW gains new paying customers every time a home is connected to the water mains and the sewers." SWW declared a pre-tax profit of £135m in 2022. The Greens' motion to the council was backed almost unanimously at a later meeting, which Alison Stephenson covered for the North Devon Gazette. You can read her report here.
Sewage overflows in Torridge
