29 Devon beaches hit with more sewage alerts(Image: Greg Martin / Cornwall Live)

29 Devon beaches hit with more sewage alerts after heavy rain

People have been warned to avoid popular spots once again

by · DevonLive

A number of beaches and popular swimming spots across Devon have been hit with pollution alerts after the rainfall yesterday. The region was battered with heavy downpours and strong winds after the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), a charity and campaign group, has warned people to avoid 29 beaches across Devon today. There is sewage pollution at the large proportion of Devon beaches following the rain.

The sewage warnings come after Devon was battered by thunderstorms, rain, hail and strong winds yesterday. Exeter-based forecasters at the Met Office issued the warning while the Environment Agency warned of the possibility of flash floods.

An interactive map from SAS highlights the areas where sewage has been discharged into the sea and rivers. It is common after heavy rainfall as storm overflows are used to prevent drains becoming overwhelmed.

A sewage pollution alert means "storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours". Meanwhile, a "pollution risk forecast" means there is potential for sewage to be in the area.

Sewage pollution alerts are in place at the following locations in Devon:

  1. Firestone Bay
  2. Plymouth Hoe East
  3. Plymouth Hoe West
  4. Mothercombe
  5. Coastguards Beach Erme Estuary
  6. Challaborough
  7. Hope Cove
  8. Salcombe South Sands
  9. Mill Bay
  10. Warfleet Creek Dart Estuary
  11. Dartmouth Castle and Sugary Cove
  12. Stoke Gabriel Dart Estuary
  13. Steamer Quay Dart Estuary
  14. St Marys Bay (Devon)
  15. Paignton Preston Sands
  16. Torre Abbey
  17. Meadfoot
  18. Teignmouth Holcombe
  19. Dawlish Town
  20. Exmouth
  21. Sandy Bay
  22. Budleigh Salterton
  23. Sidmouth Town
  24. Beer
  25. Seaton (Devon)
  26. Ilfracombe Hele
  27. Woolacombe Village
  28. Instow
  29. Westward Ho!

SAS is calling for an end to sewage discharges into all bathing waters, and high-priority nature sites, by 2030. In 2023, there were 584,001 recorded discharges across England, Scotland and Wales - an 51 per cent increase on the previous year - with sewage released into waterways for a total of 12,966,322 hours.