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← All spills

Lower Ferry pumping station, Kingswear

SBB00712
Overflow on the network feeding Dartmouth STW · Pumping-station / emergency overflow
Designated bathing water · Warfleet Creek, Dart Estuary
Showing history for 2023 · records go back to 2020
Not spilling

The monitor is reporting and shows no discharge.

Last spill ended
29 Sept, 21:39
Counted spills, 2023
42
77 discharge events
Hours spilled, 2023
78
Is the feed working?
Working
Last checked 5 min ago · we poll SWW hourly
48h agonow
48/48 hourly readings received
Dry spills, 2023
0
None in 2023 · 26 since 2020
How a dry spill is decided →
Spilled before its STW, 2023
77
77 in 2023 · 532 since 2020
What this means →
Why this one spills

This looks like a fault, not a storm.

This overflow has discharged in dry weather 26 times since 2020 — spills with no rainfall to excuse them. Its treatment works is not itself over capacity, so a catchment-wide explanation does not hold. Applied to this record, the two-stage lawfulness test is hard to pass: a recurring dry-weather discharge is not an exceptional circumstance, and where the remedy is routine maintenance the disproportionate-cost exception is hard to run.

How this verdict is reached →

The same works has emergency overflows too

All emergency overflows →

8 pumping-station emergency overflows feed Dartmouth STW works — raw-sewage relief outlets that should fire only when a pump fails. They are not in this page's feed; between them they have discharged about 2,903 recorded hours.

Warfleet No2 pumping station, Dartmouth2,514h totalworst year 2,514h
South Town, Dartmouth225h totalworst year 128h
Warfleet Creek pumping station, Dartmouth88h totalworst year 78h
Darthaven Marina pumping station, Kingswear54h totalworst year 28h
Dartmouth STW20h totalworst year 18h
Coles Court pumping station, Dartmouth1.4h totalworst year 1.4h
Nelson Road pumping station, Dartmouth0.63h totalworst year 0.45h
Mayors Avenue pumping station, Dartmouth0.28h totalworst year 0.20h

Its permit

What the environmental permit sets for this overflow — and where the public record is silent, which is itself the finding.

Pass-forward flow
Not published
Spill frequency limit
None set
Monitoring tier
Not published
Assessment trigger
Crossed — over 10 spills/year

Is anyone acting on this?

Flagged problems
High spill frequency532 discharge events since 2020Dry spilling26 dry spills since 2020Spills before its works532 times since 2020
Measures on record
  • Reduction of spills to meet EnvAct_IMP drivers
    Improvementdue 2030
Verdict
Improvement under way

A physical improvement is committed against this overflow.

What you can do about this one

OPEN NOW

Ask for the data

Under the Environmental Information Regulations, Lower Ferry pumping station, Kingswear's telemetry, the works' flow-to-full-treatment setting, and any spill investigations are emissions information — they cannot be withheld on commercial-confidentiality grounds. A written request is the fastest lever.

BY 30 APR 2027

Get it into the next programme

Investigations that will shape the 2030–35 environment programme must complete by this date. Putting this overflow on the record now — to South West Water and the Environment Agency — is what gets it considered.

BY 1 NOV 2027

Put it in the drainage plan

South West Water's draft Drainage & Wastewater Management Plan goes to a twelve-week consultation. A named overflow with evidence behind it is far harder to leave out.

The record since 2020

26 dry spills and 532 pre-STW spills since 2020. Pick a year to see its events below.

Count by

2023: 42 spills · 77 discharge events

692020712021702022422023522024442025132026

Counted spills — the EA's 12/24-hour block method, the basis of the 10-a-year cap. Published annual return where available, computed the same way for the current year. Two ways to count →

Dry spills, every year

26 dry spills since 2020 · showing up to 12

9 Dec, 07:05
2h 3m
0.0
Not spilling
→
11 Sept, 19:23
1h 16m
0.0
Not spilling
→
14 Aug, 21:15
1h 46m
0.1
Not spilling
→
14 Aug, 19:52
26m
0.1
Not spilling
→
13 Aug, 20:27
1h 52m
0.0
Not spilling
→
13 Aug, 19:17
26m
0.0
Not spilling
→
12 Aug, 19:40
30m
0.0
Not spilling
→
21 Apr, 10:15
6h 10m
0.0
Not spilling
→
18 Apr, 19:59
2h 0m
0.0
Not spilling
→
2 Apr, 20:30
1h 53m
0.0
Not spilling
→
2 Apr, 08:09
5h 0m
0.0
Not spilling
→
1 Apr, 19:28
23m
0.0
Not spilling
→

Spilled before its works

532 events since 2020 · started while Dartmouth STW stayed shut

29 Sept, 20:11
1h 29m
8.5
Stayed shut
→
29 Aug, 04:56
1h 15m
19.0
Stayed shut
→
1 Jun, 22:42
16m
26.4
Stayed shut
→
27 Feb, 00:19
1h 11m
22.1
Stayed shut
→
18 Feb, 11:29
42m
21.0
Stayed shut
→
6 Feb, 08:55
24m
19.0
Stayed shut
→
5 Feb, 08:27
26m
19.0
Stayed shut
→
5 Feb, 07:56
18m
19.0
Stayed shut
→
26 Jan, 19:34
4h 2m
42.4
Stayed shut
→
24 Jan, 09:34
1h 48m
19.7
Stayed shut
→
23 Jan, 21:24
1h 51m
11.1
Stayed shut
→
21 Jan, 09:08
1h 6m
20.9
Stayed shut
→

Spills by month, 2023

Dry Wet weather
7Jan
1Feb
11Mar
3Apr
4May
Jun
2Jul
5Aug
8Sep
21Oct
8Nov
7Dec

Every spill in 2023, most recent first

Each event checked against the nearest rain gauge and against the treatment works’ own overflow. Open any row for its evidence dossier.

10 Dec, 09:24
38m
9.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 Dec, 02:49
3h 24m
25.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
7 Dec, 12:20
1h 11m
18.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Dec, 08:30
2h 18m
40.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Dec, 06:10
20m
40.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Dec, 04:37
1h 15m
40.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Dec, 01:04
25m
40.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
16 Nov, 05:53
2h 54m
17.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Nov, 17:36
24m
12.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Nov, 04:11
1h 31m
12.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
2 Nov, 07:23
1h 47m
26.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Nov, 21:05
2h 26m
26.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Nov, 20:12
34m
26.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Nov, 09:18
1h 19m
26.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Nov, 07:35
21m
26.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
31 Oct, 20:31
1h 14m
11.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
31 Oct, 18:50
1h 13m
11.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
31 Oct, 16:28
1h 48m
11.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
29 Oct, 20:28
1h 18m
22.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Oct, 19:43
1h 20m
22.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Oct, 18:40
15m
22.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Oct, 18:21
16m
22.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Oct, 17:21
48m
22.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Oct, 12:46
2h 3m
22.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
27 Oct, 18:42
58m
16.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
27 Oct, 16:40
18m
16.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
26 Oct, 16:42
59m
16.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
25 Oct, 01:15
47m
17.1 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Oct, 23:10
2h 2m
17.1 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Oct, 22:11
17m
17.1 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
18 Oct, 15:16
18m
21.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
18 Oct, 12:28
1h 11m
21.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
13 Oct, 15:29
48m
21.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Oct, 22:03
1h 4m
21.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Oct, 21:05
20m
21.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Oct, 20:30
21m
21.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Sept, 11:39
26m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Sept, 09:39
39m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Sept, 07:52
1h 32m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Sept, 02:23
27m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Sept, 01:15
37m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Sept, 00:47
24m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
16 Sept, 23:59
22m
34.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Sept, 01:49
24m
7.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
31 Aug, 20:04
53m
14.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
31 Aug, 18:31
18m
14.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
31 Aug, 07:25
1h 17m
14.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Aug, 22:25
26m
9.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Aug, 19:25
18m
9.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Jul, 21:24
56m
21.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Jul, 19:07
25m
21.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 May, 14:07
29m
13.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 May, 17:37
1h 12m
13.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
6 May, 04:26
53m
17.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
5 May, 00:44
16m
17.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Apr, 10:08
1h 59m
22.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
11 Apr, 20:34
2h 54m
22.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
11 Apr, 16:45
1h 0m
22.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Mar, 09:22
49m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Mar, 07:52
19m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Mar, 20:55
37m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Mar, 19:34
37m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Mar, 15:44
31m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Mar, 09:08
58m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Mar, 06:59
16m
20.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 Mar, 19:54
37m
16.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 Mar, 08:12
50m
16.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 Mar, 06:21
26m
16.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 Mar, 20:01
1h 32m
12.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 Feb, 08:10
1h 9m
2.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
15 Jan, 21:42
3h 18m
20.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
14 Jan, 07:31
1h 13m
42.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
14 Jan, 06:17
51m
42.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
14 Jan, 05:17
15m
42.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
14 Jan, 02:13
2h 56m
42.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
14 Jan, 00:55
15m
42.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
7 Jan, 05:40
2h 11m
15.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
30 brief spills under 15 minutes in 2023

Excluded from the counts, classification and flags above — too short to weigh against rainfall, and often an operational blip rather than a genuine discharge. Listed here for completeness. How we know.

13 Nov, 06:32 · 14m29 Oct, 19:56 · 2m29 Oct, 19:44 · 5m29 Oct, 19:37 · 1m29 Oct, 19:32 · 3m29 Oct, 19:27 · 2m29 Oct, 19:20 · 5m29 Oct, 19:17 · 2m29 Oct, 18:56 · 7m29 Oct, 18:34 · 2m29 Oct, 17:45 · 14m28 Oct, 19:23 · 3m28 Oct, 19:12 · 2m28 Oct, 19:02 · 2m28 Oct, 18:56 · 3m28 Oct, 18:17 · 3m28 Oct, 17:00 · 13m27 Oct, 18:08 · 6m27 Oct, 17:20 · 4m26 Oct, 15:38 · 10m17 Sept, 11:14 · 4m17 Sept, 10:42 · 13m16 Sept, 02:51 · 13m31 Aug, 19:08 · 1m24 Mar, 08:18 · 8m23 Mar, 08:22 · 5m23 Mar, 07:25 · 7m23 Mar, 07:21 · 2m22 Mar, 06:54 · 6m12 Jan, 14:08 · 11m