In July 1990 I walked into the recently privatised South West Water’s Exeter office as its newly appointed PR Manager, having left Severn Trent, the only land-locked water company in the UK and joining the water company with the longest coastline, which included Devon, Cornwall, and parts of Somerset and Dorset, with all the regional and national environmental issues and profile that came with it.

A region with the highest concentration of popular UK seaside resorts, beaches, and 83 EU designated bathing waters, with virtually no coastal sewage treatment; instead 227 crude sewage outfalls scattered across the peninsula spewing human sewage and more into the sea.

Add to that the common issues of every other UK water company; old, leaky, Victorian water mains causing discoloured drinking water, sewerage systems overloaded, and inland sewage treatment works not meeting latest discharge standards.

And if that wasn’t enough, a drinking water contamination scare two years before (1988) in Camelford, Cornwall, that had justifiably attracted massive press and media coverage, as well as condemnation from local and national politicians and commentators.

Small wonder that the Editor of the region’s most popular daily newspaper, the Western Morning News, likened my appointment to that of the ‘Entertainments Officer on the Titanic.’

Realistically, we did have a good tale to tell post privatisation. A massive £4 million per week capital investment in water and wastewater services across the South West, including the elimination of unacceptable raw sewage coastal outfalls. However, the pace of improvements versus cost was to be the big issue, both practically and politically.

Trying to put right over a century of neglect and under investment in water infrastructure and all its facets over such a short time period was a herculean task. But cost was the over-riding customer and political issue. Water bills were set to soar. Dropping on the door mats of one of the smaller water company populations, many retired, and also on fixed incomes. Improvements versus cost was to dominate the South West water and environmental agenda over the next 5 years. And has done since.

The £1 billion ‘Clean Sweep’ programme was largely delivered over the next decade, thanks to the skills and expertise of many dedicated engineers, scientists, and operational people. Transforming failing EU designated bathing waters and delivering much improved environmental benefits.

So what went wrong? They say time and tide wait for no man. It happened here.

Firstly, all schemes were designed to have the safety valve of overflow systems (combined sewer overflows) in the event of ‘exceptional’ rainfall. Ensuring that rainfall mixed with untreated sewage from local sewers did not back up and cause flooding of local homes and neighbourhoods. However, thanks to climate change, ‘exceptional’ now happens regularly, causing overflows into streams, rivers, and popular bathing waters and estuaries.

Secondly new development and population increases are also causing sewer and treatment capacity issues (as well as water supply demand).

Thirdly, pressure on water companies to reduce operating costs at the altar of the shareholder means that on occasions sewer spillages occur whilst ‘asleep at the wheel.’

What to do? Two fundamental points. (1) Whether we like it or not we are all going to have to pay more to bring about the significant investment and improvements that the region deserves. (2) The new challenges will need to be delivered by a reformed and restructured water company model where the owner/shareholder is not the primary focus; and also stronger fit-for-purpose regulators.

Finally, are water companies the No. 1 polluters of our streams, rivers, and oceans? No. That unenviable spot goes to agriculture. More next week.