Sewage discharged into Devon rivers after Storm Bert brings heavy rain

A number of rivers in Devon have been hit with sewage overflows after Storm Bert battered the county over the weekend. An interactive map from South West Water shows that storm overflows have been activated and sewage has been released into the River Dart, the River Lemon, the River Torridge, and the River Teign.

It is common for South West Water to discharge sewage into rivers after heavy rainfall as storm overflows are used to prevent drains becoming overwhelmed. According to South West Water, a number of overflows have been activated across the county over the last 24 hours.

The water company is working to reduce its reliance on storm overflows by reducing the amount of rainwater entering the system, slowing the flow of water through the environment and increasing the network's capacity to store and treat sewage.

South West Water said: "Storm overflows act like safety valves on the wastewater network. When the system becomes too full (for example, after heavy rain) storm overflows release the excess. If they didn’t work, sewage would build up in pipes and flood into people’s gardens and homes."

Meanwhile, a number of popular bathing spots in Devon are being impacted by overflows. A separate map from South West Water shows the bathing water quality in popular spots across the county.

Exmouth is once again being impacted by sewage overflows. South West Water said it is set to spend £38m on the issue by 2030.

For all of the latest storm updates from across Devon, follow our live blog here.