Water firm trying to reduce the number of homes with 'misconnections' adding to sewage
Last year more than 500 homes had systems improved by South West Water
Last updated 19th Apr 2026
South West Water says it's working to tackle 'misconnections', which it claims can result in untreated wastewater entering local rivers and streams.
Last year the firm spent £200,000 reconnnecting 539 properties.
The firm's Cat Chappell says some homes wrongly have the surface water drain connected to what's called a 'foul sewer', which connects to the treatment works
The 'pollution technician' said: “To tackle these hidden plumbing issues we start by carrying out careful investigations in areas we’ve received reports of a pollution to check for debris, odours and dicolouration in the water.
“Once the team has identified there has been a pollution, we report it to the Environment Agency and take water samples for testing to identify the severity of the pollution and why it has occurred.
“Our engineers will then use specialist cameras to trace contamination through the network of pipes, helping to pinpoint any properties with potential misconnections.
“They then contact those property owners to request access to do a dye test and further investigations to confirm whether they have a misconnection.
“Once a misconnection is identified, we contact the customer to inform them of the issue and encourage them to rectify it through a reputable plumber. Misconnections are private issues and the responsibility of the property owner to rectify it.”