Full News Report
17th June 2026
LOW WATER PRESSURE? SEWAGE TANKERS? NEW HOUSES?
Are you experiencing low water pressure? Have you wondered
why sewage tankers are regularly seen at the treatment works? Are you concerned
that local infrastructure may struggle to cope with future development?
These are some of the questions Morval Parish Council
recently put to South West Water (SWW) after concerns were raised by residents
across Widegates. SWW have now provided a response.
SWW says the Widegates Sewage Treatment Works is currently
operating within its environmental permits and has sufficient treatment
capacity for existing demand. The works was designed to serve a population
equivalent of 548 people and is currently serving between 409 and 446 people,
depending on the time of year. The company
has also confirmed that the hydraulic capacity of the works is operating close
to capacity. Improvements are planned, but not until between 2035 and 2040.
The Parish Council also asked about the tankers frequently
seen visiting the treatment works. SWW says these are used to remove sludge as
part of normal operations and that the unusually high number of tanker visits
during 2024 was linked to the installation of new treatment equipment.
One issue that continues to concern residents is water
pressure. SWW said it was not aware of
any persistent water pressure problems in Widegates and believes the current
supply network is adequate. However, this is not entirely consistent with what
the Parish Council has been told by a number of residents, particularly in
Morview Road.
The questions become even more important when future
development is considered. SWW say they have assessed the impact of a potential
development of around 50 new homes in Widegates and has indicated that upgrades
to water supply and wastewater infrastructure may be required if development
proceeds at that scale.
We Need Your Help
The Parish Council is asking residents to report any
problems directly to South West Water, these issues could be low or fluctuating
water pressure, water supply interruptions, sewage-related issue or concerns
about local watercourses. Please ask SWW
for a reference number and let the Parish Council know about the issue.
The more residents who report problems, the stronger the
evidence available when pressing for improvements.
The full South West Water response, together with the Parish
Council's original questions, will be published on the Parish Council website.
If you have experienced problems, now is the time to
speak up.