At least seven children were left battling stomach cramps and severe vomiting after swimming in Devon's River Dart, which had been contaminated by a 16-hour sewage discharge from South West Water just days earlier. The children jumped into the river on the hottest day of the year, when temperatures reached 35C, unaware that raw sewage had been pumped upstream.
Parents' anger and health impact
Mum Kelly Vipond said her two sons fell ill after swimming, with her 12-year-old becoming sick the next day and her eldest shortly after. Other children also experienced projectile vomiting, according to reports. Ms Vipond expressed fury: "It's devastating that we can't go in our local river. I was absolutely livid. I was almost kicking myself that I didn't look. I didn't even think to check." She had previously researched the river and found it "wasn't too bad," but torrential downpours two days before the incident may have contributed to the spill.
Company response and investigation
Ms Vipond contacted the Environment Agency, which confirmed South West Water would conduct tests at the site, though not until the following day. A Pennon spokeswoman said: "We're sorry to hear people have been unwell. We are unable to comment on individual cases, but it is important to note that there are many factors that can affect river water quality, including agricultural and urban pollution." She added that on-site testing found no evidence of pollution at the points tested, and local storm overflows were operating as they should. The company is investing £760 million to tackle storm overflows and has reduced spills by 17% over the past year.
Political backlash and broader context
Ian Roome, Liberal Democrat MP for North Devon, called it "absolutely infuriating" that families are "apparently expected to consult a live sewage map" before letting children paddle. He noted that South West Water spilled sewage into bathing sites over 7,900 times last year—22 times per day. "Enough is enough, and parents should not be made to feel guilty for letting their children enjoy nature," he said.
This incident follows the company's former chief executive Susan Davy receiving a £270,000 bonus and £100,000 for private security over two years, despite a 2024 cryptosporidium outbreak in Brixham that left 140 people ill and four hospitalised. South West Water's parent company, Pennon, recorded an interim pre-tax profit of £114 million after being fined £1.8 million for that outbreak.
Environment Agency action
An Environment Agency spokesman said: "We are investigating this spill and will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action. We have significantly increased inspections of water company assets, completing over 10,000 in the year ending March 2026, rooting out wrongdoing."
