SOUTH West Water is one of four water companies being taken to task over its performance on pollution.

The Environment Agency has released its annual report on the environmental performance of England’s water and sewerage companies, which shows that four out of nine are not meeting expectations. The annual report rates each company in England from 1 star to 4 stars, based on a range of measures including serious pollution incidents, pollution per km of sewer pipes and compliance with permits.

It found that: Severn Trent and Wessex Water achieved the highest level of performance with 4 stars; Thames, United Utilities and Yorkshire Water are rated as 3 star (good); Anglian, Northumbrian and South West Water are rated as 2 star (requiring improvement); and Southern Water is the first company to be rated as 1 star (poor) since 2015

In light of these results, both the Environment Secretary George Eustice and the Chair of the Environment Agency, Emma Howard Boyd, will be holding meetings with all underperforming companies in the coming weeks to discuss improvements to be made.

Mr Eustice said that water companies “had a duty to act as custodians of the environment” and said that the Government would be bringing forward a legally binding target on water quality in the Environment Bill.

“The new Environmental Land Management Scheme, replacing the EU Common Agricultural Policy, will also play a critical part in reducing some of the farming practices which pollute our waters.”

The area director of the Environment Agency for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Helen Dobby, said: “South West Water’s performance on pollution incidents continues to be disappointing. SWW need to show a marked and sustained environmental performance improvement.

“Their recently published pollution incident reduction plan shows the commitment to improve is strong; it now needs to deliver for the South West.

“We will continue to actively regulate and take enforcement action where it is appropriate. A planned programme of improvement by the company will be closely monitored to ensure that our local environment remains at the forefront of SWW’s business consideration.”