Even cleaner seas for Combe Martin

03rd September 2014

A £2million project to deliver even cleaner seas off Combe Martin gets under way next week.

South West Water will be constructing a 300 cubic metre underground storage tank in the privately owned Glen Lyn car park and a 325 cubic metre underground storage tank in the parish council coach park. Improvements will also be made to two sewage pumping stations in the village.

This additional storm water storage capacity in the sewerage network and other improvements will reduce the number of storm discharges into the River Umber during extremely wet weather. The schemes are designed to improve bathing water quality at Combe Martin ahead of the European Union's revised Bathing Water Directive, which comes into effect in 2015.

Senior Project Manager Mike Court said: "This represents a major investment in bathing water quality, which will benefit the tourism industry in Combe Martin.

"We believe that, with the help of the local community, this major investment will help deliver even cleaner seas for Combe Martin, in time for the new European bathing water standards next year.

"All businesses in the village will be open as usual during the scheme, so please do continue to support your local traders during our work."

Work starts in the coach park on Monday 8 September and will continue until February 2015, outside the main tourist season. Work in the Glen Lyn car park will take place from early September 2014 to March 2015.

Borough Road, from the Glen Lyn car park to The Royal Marine Hotel, will be closed to traffic between Monday 3 November and Friday 19 December 2014. Cross Street will remain open and access to Kiln car park will not be affected.

For more information see www.southwestwater.co.uk/evencleanerseas

Notes to editors

• South West Water has invested more than £2billion to transform bathing water quality across the region over the past 20 years
• That investment continues - in 2014/15 we will be spending up to £20 million on a range of schemes further to improve bathing water quality at Lyme Regis, Teignmouth, Torbay, Mothecombe, Seaton (Cornwall), Looe and Combe Martin in preparation for the European Union's revised bathing water directive
• This investment will be financed from South West Water's own resources and will not impact on the average household bill. South West Water is the only water company currently committed to this early investment
  In our business plan for 2015-20, we plan to invest an extra £42 million to deliver further bathing water improvements, while pegging average bills well below inflation
• We remain committed to working with other organisations and local communities so that residents and visitors alike can continue to enjoy the South West's beautiful beaches.

Published: 3 September 2014 
Updated: 23 September 2014