Legal threat over beach pipe
BEER Parish Council is considering legal action over what members see as inaction regarding an outflow pipe on the beach.
The pipe is used as an overflow if its not possible for sewage from the village to be pumped to Seaton for treatment or through the main overflow pipe at Beer Head.
The council’s concern is that the pipe is not compliant with current regulations, as the point of discharge is above sea level.
It also occasionally becomes blocked with shingle and a build up of silt.
Councillor Martin Cox said: “The council has had a number of meetings with South West Water, trying to pressure them to pursue this issue.
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“SWW have made at least one attempt to resolve it but haven’t been successful.”
Due to its frustration at the lack of progress on the matter, the council is now investigating what legal action it could take. A SWW spokesman said the pipe had been extended beyond the shingle bank, so it wouldn’t discharge directly onto the beach. For 18 months, there have been no reports of sewage being discharged onto the beach.
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She said: “However, we believe the shingle may have shifted and blocked the pipe, causing the manhole on the beach to discharge highway drainage and water from the stream. Attempts to unblock the pipe using conventional methods have been unsuccessful and we are now seeking an alternative method to resolve the issue.”