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South West Water (SWW) has apologised after a surfing competition was cancelled due to pollution in the sea off the north coast of Cornwall over the weekend.
Bathers were evacuated after heavy rain led to sewage entering the water at Godrevy beach on Saturday.
The Trelawney Alliance Campaign Group said in a statement it was not an isolated incident and it had happened “several times” last summer making the point that SWW are doing little to upgrade its systems.
The group also highlighted that there are 4,000 new homes to be built in Camborne and are concerned about what South West Water will do to combat the issue.
A spokesman for South West Water said the combined sewer system at the site had overloaded after heavy rainfall.
“Unfortunately during periods of intense rainfall, the combined sewer system, which also takes surface water from roads, can sometimes become overloaded. We continue to work with our partners and regulators to ensure that public health is protected,” he said.
The water company has invested more than £2 billion on improving the bathing water quality in Cornwall and Devon, whilst an additional £20 million is currently being spent.
According to SWW, Godrevy beach is expected to achieve an excellent rating next year under the European Union’s revised bathing water directive.
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