Bathers have been advised to avoid Trevaunance Cove, St Agnes this morning as a raw sewage and stormwater mix has been discharged into the stream running down to the beach.

Surfers Against Sewage have consistently complained to South West Water that the current sewerage infrastructure that deals with sewage and wastewater in St Agnes is at fault and today's incident coincides with the failure of 3 pumps at the Peterville pumping station in Quay Road, St Agnes. The pumps failed earlier this week and have been replaced by some temporary diesel pumps.

After last nights heavy rainfall the system has failed to cope and the Environment Agency have advised that a warning sign should be posted on the beach warning bathers and surfers of the current problem.

Although the beach meets minimum European water quality standards it has been a victim both in and out of the bathing season from incidents like this that has led to many water users and residents contacting the Environment Agency's Pollution Hotline. Last autumn saw several incidents where manhole covers were forced up leading to raw sewage and sewage related debris littering the road and affecting water quality at the beach.

SAS Campaigns Assistant Richard Hardy says:

"Enough is enough! SouthWest Water has failed to satisfy water users that the Peterville pumping station is doing the job we were promised. Over the last year much work has been done at the pumping station but we cannot be satisfied that a solution has been found to prevent raw sewage and stormwater mixes polluting the stream and the bathing water. With an upcoming Periodic review of water prices, SouthWest Water has an opportunity to put the problems with St Agnes water quality at the forefront of their environmental improvements. This has to be their priority".

SAS have asked for a full statement from SouthWest Water on today's incident.

For more information please contact Richard Hardy on Tel: 01872 553001

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