Pollution alerts issued after Dawlish, Holcombe sewage discharges

Environmental charity Surfers Against Sewage has issued warnings for bathers at Dawlish town beach and Holcombe today (Monday 5 September) after sewage discharges.

Sewage is often discharged into the sea after heavy rain from 'storm overflows', pressure-relief valves, to prevent sewers flooding on land.

There are five such sewer overflows covered by the charity's Safer Seas Service at Dawlish within 650m of the beach. At Holcombe, a sewer overflow reportedly discharges into the Holcombe Stream 40m upstream of the beach.

The pollution alerts for Dawlish and Holcombe read: "Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours and bathing not advised today due to the likelihood of reduced water quality."

Click here to view Surfers Against Sewage's interactive map, and here to view the Environment Agency's Swimfo tool.