Devon County Council

03/05/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 03/05/2026 06:11

Councillor calls for stronger reform of our water system

Councillor calls for stronger reform of our water system

Posted on 5 March 2026in

Councillor Paul Arnott, Deputy Leader of Devon County Council and Cabinet Member for Local Government Reorganisation and Water Quality, has responded to South West Water's guilty plea yesterday to supplying water unfit for human consumption after a parasitic outbreak.

Councillor Arnott said:

"The fact that South West Water has pleaded guilty to supplying water unfit for human consumption is extremely serious.

"That failure of responsibility has damaged public trust and shows why stronger reform of our water system is urgently needed.

"Safe, reliable water is a priority for this council. Devon County Council will be unveiling a new pan-Devon water report this year, and we are planning a major water summit in the autumn to bring together all stakeholders and look for innovative solutions.

"We need to explore bold ideas, such as the potential for a Devon Water Authority that would put the needs of our communities first."

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Devon County Council published this content on March 05, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on March 05, 2026 at 12:11 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]