WORK undertaken to tackle hidden sources of pollution in Fowey Estuary has been recognised with an industry award nomination.

South West Water (SWW) and specialist environmental company, Glanville Environmental, have been shortlisted for a UK Society for Trenchless Technology (UKSTT) Award in the detection, location and inspection category.

The nomination comes after the two companies worked together as part of a project to identify, investigate and tackle misconnections in Fowey last year.

As a hidden cause of pollution, misconnections occur when wastewater from a property is incorrectly connected to a surface water drain instead of the sewer network, meaning wastewater can enter rivers and streams without being treated. Often hidden underground and on customer properties, they can be difficult to identify and resolve.

The project used innovative inspection and surveying techniques, including drone technology and specialist underwater investigations, to identify where groundwater and surface water were entering the sewer network in Fowey and where improvements could be made to protect the local environment.

In addition, throughout 2025 and 2026, SWW and Glanville investigated hundreds of properties across the region through its misconnections programme, helping to identify hidden sources of pollution and working with customers to resolve them.

The joint initiative has also received a Green Apple Environment Award 2026 for Environmental Improvement, an international award recognising environmental best practice.

Dave Swiggs, South West Water’s director of wastewater services, said: "Protecting and improving the health of our rivers, streams and coastal waters is a key priority for South West Water, and these projects demonstrate the positive impact that targeted investment and partnership working can deliver to local communities like Fowey.”

James West, operations director at Glanville Environmental, said: “By combining specialist investigation, surveying, and environmental expertise, we have helped identify hidden sources of pollution and deliver practical improvements that protect the region’s rivers, streams, and coastal waters.

The winners of the UKSTT Awards will be announced at a ceremony on Wednesday, September 30 at the NAEC Stoneleigh Park in Warwickshire.

For more information about how SWW tackles misconnections, visit: www.southwestwater.co.uk/household/your-services/your-wastewater/sewer-responsibility/misconnections