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Newquay water customers asked for helpSouth West Water's clean up of West Country bathing waters to the highest standard ever has enabled an increased number of holiday resorts in Devon and Cornwall to achieve Seaside Award status.
A Seaside Award cannot be received without a quality bathing water and South West Water has made a major contribution to the quality of coastal waters through the £1 billion 'Clean Sweep' programme.  Newquay water customers asked for help The region has the best bathing water quality in the UK. This was confirmed by the Environment Agency when monitoring one hundred and forty bathing waters in Devon and Cornwall. Over 98% of these met the required standard set out by the European Bathing Water Directive last autumn. A beach flying the all important yellow and blue flag will essentially have a quality bathing water and also meet other equally necessary criteria including good management, be clean and safe, display up to date information and achieve other land based standards. Twelve years ago before 'Clean Sweep' the region's coastal waters were not so crystal clear. At the time of privatisation 40 percent of the region's sewage was going untreated into the sea. Since then a huge improvement is providing an environmental transformation for many of the country's most famous and beautiful beaches. Forty major schemes now bring high quality sewage treatment to many places for the first time ever. Over 200 of the 230 crude sewage outfalls around the region have now been shut down for good and all of them will by closed by 2005. This major environmental investment could not have taken place without the help of South West Water customers who made upgrading the sewerage system possible. With community support the company has achieved so much to reverse nearly 100 years of neglect in sewage treatment. "It's great to know that our £1 billion 'Clean Sweep' programme has helped 57 beaches in Devon and Cornwall to gain Seaside Award status," said Bob Baty, South West Water's Chief Executive. "I am delighted to hear about the increase in Seaside Awards for the region. These will provide a further boost for local people and benefit the environment and tourist industry which are so essential to the South West economy." - ENDS - For further information please contact Dina Chandler, Communications Officer on 01392 443021. Published: 17th April 2003 DC/276 |
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