Officials have advised against swimming at two bathing sites in Plymouth, Devon, after a sewage discharge.
Officials issued the alert covering Plymouth Hoe West and Plymouth Hoe East after an earlier bathing warning in the area ended.
Here's what to know
After the Environment Agency said an "unpermitted discharge" followed operational problems at Plymouth Central Wastewater Treatment Works, it advised people to avoid the water at the two swimming areas, the BBC reported.
That left the same coastline under repeated bathing warnings, with a separate sewage release having already interrupted access there.
"We know this will be frustrating for local people, who rightly expect bathing waters to be protected and South West Water to meet its legal obligations," the Environment Agency said.
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, said he had given South West Water CEO Keith Haslett "a six-week ultimatum for investment in creaking infrastructure" at the Cattedown plant.
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He added that the new warning would prompt him to press the matter further.
Saying it recognized the concern such advice creates, South West Water added that it had been "undertaking maintenance to improve the reliability of monitoring equipment."
It said it would keep reviewing operational data and monitoring water quality as it worked with the Environment Agency.
More background
With a separate sewage discharge having already stopped bathing, the new alert marks a second disruption for the same waterfront.
The repeat incidents suggest deeper issues at Plymouth Central Wastewater Treatment Works.
Pollard's demand for investment in "creaking infrastructure" suggests he sees the plant itself as part of the problem, rather than simply bad luck or a one-off overflow event.
In September, South West Water received a nearly £8 million (over $10.5 million) fine for pollution-related offenses spanning six years, among them cases in Plymouth.
Residents and visitors expecting to swim at Plymouth Hoe instead face health warnings, disrupted routines, and uncertainty about whether the beaches are safe.
Repeated advisories can erode public confidence in the water — and in the company responsible for it.
What's being done?
The most immediate step is the no-swim advice itself, intended to keep people out of potentially contaminated water while the discharge is investigated.
An Environment Agency investigation is already underway, with the possibility of action against the company as part of the process.
The BBC reported that according to a spokesperson, the regulator expects South West Water "to be fully transparent about the action it is taking" and would pursue enforcement action "where necessary."
South West Water says it is trying to address part of the issue through maintenance work.
It said the maintenance was aimed at more reliable monitoring equipment and that checks on water quality and operational data would continue.
Separately, Pollard said his six-week ultimatum to Keith Haslett focuses on investment at the Cattedown plant, and that he would follow the latest warning — along with the regulator's investigation — with further representations.
Pollard said "the situation is quickly becoming a farce" and that he was "disgusted" with South West Water.
Where can I learn more?
This isn't just a Plymouth problem; these stories also highlight related issues.
• Across the U.K., sewage companies borrowed Big Tobacco's playbook to deflect blame for pollution.
• In protected U.K. waterways, raw sewage in protected waterways fueled toxic algae risks.
• In Cardigan Bay, Welsh Water admitted dumping raw sewage beside protected dolphin habitat for years.
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