South West Water urged to deliver extra sewage treatment in Isles of Scilly

South West Water need to improve the wastewater infrastructure on the Isles of Scilly. We welcome investment that will reduce environmental risks, improve resilience and better protect the islands' sensitive coastal and marine environment.

Our role is to make sure any proposed solution meets the required legal and environmental standards. South West Water must demonstrate this through the environmental permitting process.

Government policy currently requires secondary treatment for coastal discharges serving communities above 2,000 population equivalents, unless a robust case is made and accepted for an alternative approach.

South West Water have submitted a permit application proposing fine screening and a new long sea outfall as an alternative to secondary treatment. We will assess the application using evidence including dispersion modelling, water quality data, environmental impact assessments, population and flow calculations, and monitoring proposals.

Until that assessment is complete and a permit decision has been made, our position remains that secondary treatment is the applicable requirement.