THE PUBLIC has “had enough” of inaction, water campaigners warned today as new analysis found South West Water to cause the most environmental damage in England of any utility.

More sewage was discharged in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset than anywhere else in England, according to data Friends of the Earth shared with the Guardian.

The campaign group’s Kierra Box demanded ministers move legislation forward for a clean water Bill and to set out a “meaningful plan for restoring the health of the UK’s rivers and seas.”

Ms Box said: “People have had enough of hearing ministers say they’ll fix the problem, only to bring in measures that superficially address the issue.

“If we’re to end the sewage scandal once and for all, we must see the government committing to a complete overhaul of our water system.”

The group found South West Water was among the top three worst performers in four out of the six categories, with the worst record on sewage spill since 2024, averaging 574,323 hours annually.

Its designated bathing sites also saw the highest number of pollution incidents and warnings, with 666 recorded in 2025 alone.

Friends of the Earth added that the utility charged its approximately 1.8 million customers the highest price for water, with average bills at £726 annually.

And campaigners pointed out they have had the second biggest increase in England since 2024, with bills going up 39 per cent.

A spokesperson for the company said “improving water quality is a huge priority for us.”

“We’re already seeing progress, with storm overflow spills down 17 per cent and spill duration down 25 per cent over the past year, despite significantly higher rainfall across the region.”

They added they were “five years ahead of the deadline” to meet the government’s new Environment Act bathing water standards.

A Defra spokesperson said: “The government recognises that we need to build on our reforms which banned bonuses so our water system works for the public.”

The department said that it was already “driving forward the biggest overhaul of the water sector in a generation, with new legislation to give the public more control and help keep bills as low as possible.”

A Water UK spokesperson said that “no sewage spill is ever acceptable” and said that it was “tripling investment over the next five years to halve spills from storm overflows.”