Wild swimmers brave chilly water in Plymouth as sewage pipes diverted away from the sea

  • Watch sea swimmers talking to ITV West Country about water pollution

People who swim off the coast of Plymouth have welcomed news that two pipes which had been pumping raw sewage into the water for years have been closed.

Firestone Bay is a designated wild swimming spot and part of the city's national marine park. But pipes coming from people's homes had been dumping sewage directly into the sea.

South West Water has unveiled a £150,000 solution, re-routing the waste water into the drainage network.

Sea swimmers regularly gather at Firestone Bay in Plymouth. Credit: ITV News

Sea swimmer Sharon Perry said some people are put off by the prospect of bathing in sewage.

"We'll come down here and do a visual, we'll have a group chat about it - do we, don't we - and then we'll make a decision," she said.

"If it's really bad, we'll still probably go in, we just won't put our heads in."

Paul Adams said: "For too many years the water companies have ad hoc dumped. Now the crunch has come, hopefully those in power will do something about it."

Rowan Mason added: "It puts me off a little bit, there are certain days when you think you're going to give it a miss."

Luke Pollard MP has been campaigning for better water quality off the coast of Plymouth. Credit: ITV News

An old pipe had been pumping untreated sewage into the water for many years.

Local MP Luke Pollard, himself a keen sea swimmer, has been trying to do something about it.Mr Pollard said: "We had residents reporting that they were seeing the visual effects of raw sewage in the water.

"South West Water were quite accurately saying it was nothing to do with them. These were private sewers.

"So the water company has adopted them, they've stopped the flow and now all the effluent that was being discharged from these private sewers is being properly treated."

South West Water has invested £150,000 in new pipes which take the waste water into the nearby Royal William Yard and link it up with the sewage system.David Swiggs, from the water firm, said: "Good news stories like this showcase some of the great work we do.

"Working in collaboration with the local MP has really driven this one forward. So the people of Firestone Bay are going to be able to enjoy this bathing water more frequently."