South West Water met with a number of local organisations and representatives in Mevagissey to discuss matters relating to flooding and water quality. 

The meeting, requested by Mevagissey Harbour Trust, Mevagissey Parish Council and Steve Double MP, and chaired by Cllr James Mustoe, focused on South West Water’s plans to invest in the village’s waste water infrastructure, thereby reducing spills from the nearby Polstreath outflow. 

“I was pleased to see South West Water recognise the concerns of local people in Mevagissey, and show their commitment to the local area,” said Mr Double. “Data indicates that the spills from Polstreath have decreased year on year over the past three years, but there is still more to do.”  

With this in mind, he praised South West Water’s commitment to investing £150,000 in water infrastructure upgrades in Mevagissey by March 2025, to cut down on spills further, reduce the risk of environmental impact from our sewerage network and improve bathing water quality.  

The local representatives also sought and got the support of South West Water for additional match-funding towards Mevagissey Harbour Trust’s bid to Cornwall Council’s Shared Prosperity Fund, for resilience measures including rebuilding and reinforcing the harbour wall. 

Cllr James Mustoe added: “Protecting our harbour, which is the beating heart of Mevagissey, is of critical importance to us all, and we were all pleased to see South West Water understand that and commit to supporting this bid with match-funding going forward. I look forward to working with all concerned as this bid progresses.” 

Alan Burrows, director of external liaison at South West Water, said: “Reducing the use of storm overflows is a priority. We are investing record levels to reduce the use of storm overflows dramatically and protect the region’s excellent bathing water status.  

“Our WaterFit programme is focused on reducing storm overflows spills to an average of 20 spills per year by 2025 and an average of 10 spills per year for storm overflows at bathing waters. We have a plan, and it is working. We will continue to work closely with stakeholders to provide the best possible service to our customers and tourists to the region.”