Residents and visitors to the South Devon coastline are being warned to stay away from Dawlish Town Beach, Teignmouth Holcombe Beach, and Coryton Cove due to sewage discharges from South West Water.

The recent heavy rains have overwhelmed the sewage systems in the area, causing South West Water to discharge untreated sewage into the sea. This has resulted in high levels of bacteria in the water, which can pose a serious health risk to those who come into contact with it.

The charity and pressure group Surfers Against Sewage has issued a warning to people not to swim or paddle in the affected areas, and to avoid any contact with the water.

The latest alert comes after a long summer and autumn of sewage and discontent last year, with demonstrations against the practice organised by Councillor Martin Wrigley in November. At the protest, Councillor Wrigley said: ‘It is an absolute disgrace, in this day there’s no excuse for having systems that are leaking so badly, killing our rivers and seas, it’s pure profit-driven mismanagement of the infrastructure. It’s just not acceptable, and we must do everything we can to hold South West Water to account.’

According to Top of the Poops, an organisation monitoring sewage discharges across the UK, the Central Devon constituency was the seventh worst for sewage dumps last year, with over 4,500 separate sewage dumps, amounting to over 43,000 hours of sewage pumping.

A South West Water spokesperson has previously responded: ‘After listening to and talking with customers, communities and campaigners right across our region, in April we announced WaterFit, our plans to protect rivers and seas together.

‘WaterFit will dramatically reduce our use of storm overflows, maintain our region’s excellent bathing water quality standards all year round and reduce and then remove our impact on river water quality by 2030. Working with partners and customers WaterFit will begin to deliver the change we all want to see.’

Last month, South West Water unveiled its new interactive water quality map, in an attempt to reassure bathers that their local waterways are safe.

Alongside the Waterfit Live map, South West Water is also pledging to reduce their use of the of storm overflows as well.

The WaterFit Live map is designed to share information about the region’s bathing beaches,  location and performance of storm overflows and the company’s plans to improve water quality.