In the 19th century it was common for communities in Cornwall to experience serious diseases such as cholera and typhoid, due in large measure to inadequate or non-existent sewage disposal arrangements.

Now, 200 years later, South West Water is trying to turn the clock back in its pursuit of private profit at the expense of public health.

Planning application PA25/04168 in Cornwall seeks to exploit permitted development rights to install a small “sewage treatment works" to serve a new 27-home estate.  

This petition calls on South West Water to abandon these plans, which involve dumping raw sewage in the village of St Mabyn, a small rural community in North Cornwall.  It calls on the Environment Agency to investigate thoroughly and on Cornwall Council to refuse permission.

The proposed rotating biological contactors system, which would be at the junction of Rectory Drive and Wadebridge Road, is far too small.  It would very quickly be overwhelmed, leading to serious pollution problems and consequent health risks.

The situation has been brought to its present crisis by an astonishing mistake during the planning process for the new housing development at Chapelfields.  

It appears that both South West Water and Cornwall Council, very conveniently for the developer, confused the tiny and hopelessly inadequate septic tank in Rectory Drive for the larger “cyclic, sequencing, activated sludge” treatment works near St Kew Highway but which is also called the St Mabyn sewage treatment works. 

As a result, there is currently no sewage disposal plan for the new estate.  South West Water has to send three tankers a week to take away the sewage.   This will soon increase to two tankers a day.

This petition calls for a fundamental review of groundwater pollution problems in the parish of St Mabyn, which is within the River Camel catchment area and where Natural England has called for a development embargo pending a sustainable solution.

South West Water says it is investing £3.2 billion in infrastructure.  This is not enough while also returning dividend yields of 7.1% to shareholders.

 

This petition seeks to put people before profits.