South West Water is a British private utility company responsible for the water supply and waste water treatment services throughout Devon and Cornwall and in small areas of Dorset and Somerset.[1] The company also supplies water in the south of England area under the name Bournemouth Water. South West Water was created in 1989 with the privatisation of the water industry.[1] It was preceded by the South West Water Authority which was formed by the Water Act 1973 as one of ten regional water authorities formed by a merger of various statutory and local authority water undertakings. South West Water is part of the Pennon Group.[2]
History
The South West Water Authority was formed in 1973.
South West Water was formed in 1989 when the water industry in the United Kingdom was privatised. It is responsible for the supply of the region's drinking water, the treatment and disposal of sewage, and the protection of inland and bathing waters. It is regulated by Ofwat, the water services regulation authority, being required to conform to United Kingdom standards.[1] Water from the Littlehampston treatment works, which serves about 162,000 people in the Torbay area of Devon, has on four separate occasions been contaminated by the dangerous cryptosporidium parasite, most recently in May 2024.[3][4][5] In July 1988 the water supply to Camelford, served by the Lowermoor treatment works, was severely contaminated by aluminium sulphate. Many people had medical issues after this and some died.[6]
SWW is part of the Pennon Group.
The following public utilities were taken over by the South West Water Authority in 1973 under the (SI 1973/1307):[7]
It was the subject of an episode of the fly-on-the-wall documentary Back to the Floor in 1997.[8]
The business of Bournemouth Water was merged into South West Water in April 2016.
- Cornwall River Authority
- Devon River Authority
- Avon and Dorset River Authority
- Plymouth Corporation Waterworks
- East Cornwall Water Board
- East Devon Water Board
- North and Mid Cornwall Water Board
- North Devon Water Board
- South Cornwall Water Board
- South West Devon Water Board
- West Cornwall Water Board
Predecessors
Plymouth Corporation Waterworks
Drake's Leat was constructed by Plymouth Corporation under the Plymouth Haven Act 1584 (27 Eliz. 1. c. 20). The Victualling Establishment, Plymouth Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 49) furthered the water supply for the Royal William Victualling Yard, giving the corporation powers to construct additional works and reservoirs to ensure the continued water supply to the town and naval establishments.
East Cornwall Water Board
The East Cornwall Water Board was established by the (SI 1959/2001), from the earlier South East Cornwall Water Board and the water undertakings of the councils of Launceston, Liskeard, Saltash, and Torpoint.
The ' was formed by the ' (26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8. c. xxx) from the water undertakings of Looe Urban District Council and St Germans Rural District.
East Devon Water Board
The East Devon Water Board was formed in 1950 and had offices in Honiton. It took over .
The ' was incorporated by the ' (27 & 28 Vict. c. ccxlix).
North and Mid Cornwall Water Board
The North and Mid Cornwall Water Board was constituted by the (SI 1965/2197).
North Devon Water Board
The North Devon Water Board was constituted by the (9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. vi) from the Barnstable Water Company and rural district councils within its area.
The ' was authorised by the ' (21 & 22 Vict. c. xx).
South Cornwall Water Board
The South Cornwall Water Board was created by the (SI 1967/1928). It has offices at 100 Pydar Street, Truro which it inherited from the Truro Water Company.
The ' was formed by the ' (38 & 39 Vict. c. lxxxiv).
The ' was established by the ' (45 & 46 Vict. c. cvii).
The ' was constituted by the ' (25 & 26 Vict. c. xxxiii).
South West Devon Water Board
The South West Devon Water Board was established by the (SI 1963/793).
The ' was formed by the ' (20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. lxxxi).
West Cornwall Water Board
The West Cornwall Water Board was constituted by the (SI 1960/155).
Plymouth Corporation Waterworks
Drake's Leat was constructed by Plymouth Corporation under the Plymouth Haven Act 1584 (27 Eliz. 1. c. 20). The Victualling Establishment, Plymouth Act 1824 (5 Geo. 4. c. 49) furthered the water supply for the Royal William Victualling Yard, giving the corporation powers to construct additional works and reservoirs to ensure the continued water supply to the town and naval establishments.
East Cornwall Water Board
The East Cornwall Water Board was established by the (SI 1959/2001), from the earlier South East Cornwall Water Board and the water undertakings of the councils of Launceston, Liskeard, Saltash, and Torpoint.
The ' was formed by the ' (26 Geo. 5 & 1 Edw. 8. c. xxx) from the water undertakings of Looe Urban District Council and St Germans Rural District.
East Devon Water Board
The East Devon Water Board was formed in 1950 and had offices in Honiton. It took over .
The ' was incorporated by the ' (27 & 28 Vict. c. ccxlix).
North and Mid Cornwall Water Board
The North and Mid Cornwall Water Board was constituted by the (SI 1965/2197).
North Devon Water Board
The North Devon Water Board was constituted by the (9 & 10 Geo. 6. c. vi) from the Barnstable Water Company and rural district councils within its area.
The ' was authorised by the ' (21 & 22 Vict. c. xx).
South Cornwall Water Board
The South Cornwall Water Board was created by the (SI 1967/1928). It has offices at 100 Pydar Street, Truro which it inherited from the Truro Water Company.
The ' was formed by the ' (38 & 39 Vict. c. lxxxiv).
The ' was established by the ' (45 & 46 Vict. c. cvii).
The ' was constituted by the ' (25 & 26 Vict. c. xxxiii).
South West Devon Water Board
The South West Devon Water Board was established by the (SI 1963/793).
The ' was formed by the ' (20 & 21 Geo. 5. c. lxxxi).
West Cornwall Water Board
The West Cornwall Water Board was constituted by the (SI 1960/155).
Activities
The main source of the water supplied by South West Water is the twenty reservoirs they own, with 90% of the water coming from reservoirs and rivers. Upper Tamar Lake has facilities for angling and watersports, and is used by a number of local clubs including fishing and model yachting clubs.[9] The South West Lakes Trust is a charitable organisation that manages fifty inland water sites across Cornwall, Devon and West Somerset, attracting around two million visitors annually.[10]
See also
- Water Industry Act 1991
- Surfers against Sewage
External links
References
- About us South West Water, retrieved 2016-07-07^
- Pennon Group Plc South West Water, retrieved 2016-07-07^
- Fred Pearce. Parasites on tap land company in deep water New Scientist, 8 September 1995, retrieved 11 October 2021^
- Drinking Water 2020 Drinking Water Inspectorate UK, retrieved 11 October 2021^
- Boil water warning after parasite found BBC News, retrieved 21 May 2024^
- Camelford water poisoning: Authority 'gambled with lives' BBC News, 14 March 2012^
- The South West Water Authority Constitution Order 1973 (1973 No. 1307) retrieved 2024-02-02^
- South West Water (1997) | BFI Ftvdb.bfi.org.uk, retrieved 2016-07-07^
- Enjoy the lakes South West Water, retrieved 15 August 2016^
- South West Lakes Trust South West Lakes Trust, retrieved 15 August 2016^