SEWAGE spillages into the Rivers Exe, Barle and Culm tripled in quantity in just 12 months, amounting to 750 full days of spills in just one year across the length of the three waterways, Liberal Democrat Parliamentary candidate Rachel Gilmour said.

Mrs Gilmour studied Environment Agency data which revealed a ‘shocking number of spills by South West Water in these vitally important rivers’.

She said more than 2,000 spills were recorded in 2023, exceeding 18,000 hours in duration, compared to 900 events and 6,000 hours the previous year.

Ofwat said the so-called ‘storm overflows’ were designed to act as relief valves when the sewerage system was at risk of being overwhelmed, such as during heavy downpours.

But Mrs Gilmour said they created public concern over river quality and inevitable environmental damage.

Mrs Gilmour, who will be fighting the Tiverton and Minehead constituency covering the Culm Valley and other parishes around Wellington in the General Election, said the data was hugely concerning for the area’s wildlife and flora, and also raised questions about their legality.

She said: “The blatant flouting of the rules and erosion of public trust reeks.

“This Government voted against tougher action to stop the spills, and they will allow water companies to continue discharging sewage until 2050. It is a national disgrace.

“The Liberal Democrats will take action on this and transform England’s water companies into public-benefit companies.

“We want to abolish Ofwat and replace it with a new regulator which has effective powers to intervene.

“We also want to introduce a sewage tax to fund the clean up of the most polluted lakes, rivers, and coastlines.”

Water companies found to have breached the rules by spilling on dry days or failing to meet other conditions can be fined or prosecuted.

Ofwat and the Environment Agency started an investigation into South West Water in June, 2022, but proposed decisions for public consultation have yet to be published.

The Environment Agency collates data on the performance of storm overflows and in 2023 the various water companies completed the installation of spill monitors at every storm overflow in England.