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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 2024 · records go back to 2020
Not spilling

The monitor is reporting and shows no discharge.

Last spill ended
29 Sept, 21:39
Counted spills, 2024
52
78 discharge events
Hours spilled, 2024
81
Is the feed working?
Working
Last checked 20 min ago · we poll SWW hourly
48h agonow
48/48 hourly readings received
Dry spills, 2024
0
None in 2024 · 26 since 2020
How a dry spill is decided →
Spilled before its STW, 2024
78
78 in 2024 · 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

2024: 52 spills · 78 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, 2024

Dry Wet weather
5Jan
17Feb
15Mar
10Apr
2May
Jun
4Jul
2Aug
3Sep
10Oct
8Nov
2Dec

Every spill in 2024, 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.

17 Dec, 20:37
1h 4m
16.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
5 Dec, 00:01
26m
14.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
27 Nov, 02:06
1h 56m
40.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
26 Nov, 23:04
50m
40.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
26 Nov, 21:38
59m
40.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Nov, 13:53
2h 0m
30.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Nov, 11:21
1h 31m
30.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Nov, 23:49
42m
30.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Nov, 22:30
1h 13m
30.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Nov, 21:47
17m
30.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
20 Oct, 09:30
1h 1m
17.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
20 Oct, 07:05
22m
17.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
20 Oct, 06:19
22m
17.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
19 Oct, 00:42
33m
17.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
16 Oct, 10:15
1h 15m
18.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
15 Oct, 20:31
47m
18.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
13 Oct, 23:28
3h 8m
31.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
13 Oct, 22:41
17m
31.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
6 Oct, 13:17
49m
17.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
6 Oct, 12:25
43m
17.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
29 Sept, 20:48
33m
26.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
26 Sept, 05:50
16m
14.3 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
21 Sept, 20:55
57m
9.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Aug, 05:40
2h 36m
29.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
23 Aug, 21:14
1h 25m
29.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Jul, 16:56
45m
3.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 Jul, 22:10
26m
56.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 Jul, 18:38
43m
56.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
5 Jul, 14:50
36m
16.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 May, 13:29
20m
7.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 May, 11:08
29m
7.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
26 Apr, 20:23
1h 40m
32.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Apr, 08:43
1h 22m
2.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Apr, 06:54
21m
2.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 Apr, 07:58
54m
4.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 Apr, 06:11
19m
4.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 Apr, 07:24
1h 2m
4.7 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
5 Apr, 02:21
1h 20m
11.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Apr, 01:41
22m
11.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
2 Apr, 13:49
1h 13m
20.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Apr, 17:59
33m
8.1 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
30 Mar, 20:30
18m
4.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
29 Mar, 03:59
22m
18.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Mar, 09:28
1h 7m
29.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Mar, 07:28
23m
29.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
27 Mar, 21:14
1h 22m
29.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
27 Mar, 19:30
22m
29.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
27 Mar, 07:50
23m
29.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
17 Mar, 04:37
50m
14.5 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Mar, 09:22
57m
6.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
12 Mar, 07:02
17m
6.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Mar, 07:24
1h 9m
32.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Mar, 05:54
28m
32.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Mar, 03:24
1h 3m
32.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
10 Mar, 02:27
40m
32.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 Mar, 18:10
22m
32.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
29 Feb, 20:56
1h 59m
11.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
29 Feb, 08:15
2h 41m
11.8 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
28 Feb, 08:09
2h 28m
4.9 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
25 Feb, 17:06
4h 50m
14.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
25 Feb, 07:38
2h 7m
14.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
25 Feb, 06:22
46m
14.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
24 Feb, 05:48
2h 41m
2.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 Feb, 17:48
1h 26m
14.1 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
22 Feb, 10:14
53m
14.1 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
15 Feb, 18:41
22m
19.0 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
13 Feb, 10:15
44m
16.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
13 Feb, 08:54
24m
16.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
13 Feb, 08:19
19m
16.2 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
9 Feb, 05:51
1h 42m
27.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 Feb, 18:05
34m
27.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 Feb, 17:03
40m
27.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
8 Feb, 07:25
15m
27.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
21 Jan, 21:53
30m
18.6 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
4 Jan, 11:37
1h 32m
15.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
2 Jan, 08:33
2h 33m
38.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
2 Jan, 07:19
1h 4m
38.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
1 Jan, 19:02
1h 32m
38.4 mm
Wet weather
Not spilling — flagged before STW
→
36 brief spills under 15 minutes in 2024

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.

17 Dec, 21:51 · 3m5 Dec, 01:02 · 12m5 Dec, 00:38 · 14m27 Nov, 01:28 · 9m27 Nov, 00:07 · 5m21 Nov, 06:22 · 6m20 Oct, 09:11 · 2m20 Oct, 08:58 · 1m20 Oct, 08:44 · 3m20 Oct, 08:23 · 1m20 Oct, 07:31 · 1m8 Oct, 07:19 · 14m8 Jul, 20:30 · 4m8 Jul, 19:56 · 2m5 Jul, 22:24 · 2m27 Apr, 04:28 · 9m10 Apr, 08:32 · 2m9 Apr, 07:30 · 6m9 Apr, 07:28 · 1m5 Apr, 04:10 · 13m29 Mar, 03:43 · 11m28 Mar, 16:24 · 11m27 Mar, 22:45 · 6m27 Mar, 19:56 · 2m17 Mar, 05:40 · 11m12 Mar, 07:24 · 3m10 Mar, 06:57 · 5m10 Mar, 06:40 · 5m10 Mar, 06:28 · 6m9 Mar, 18:48 · 13m28 Feb, 10:43 · 11m25 Feb, 07:34 · 4m13 Feb, 09:51 · 1m13 Feb, 08:52 · 1m13 Feb, 08:41 · 4m2 Jan, 06:53 · 8m