Why I called for a public meeting
For too long, residents across Tiverton West and beyond have been plagued by a foul smell believed to come from South West Water’s sludge treatment facility at Collipriest Lane. Descriptions range from “terrible” and “vile” to simply “unbearable” – and it’s getting worse.
The smell particularly affects the West Exe and Cranmore wards, especially those living in Ashley, but it often envelopes the town centre itself. For some residents it’s been occasional; for others it’s become a daily disruption that’s impossible to ignore.
After meeting with South West Water in early March, I was frankly not satisfied with their responses. They claimed the smell was not related to their treatment works—but the evidence suggested otherwise. When I couldn’t get straight answers through normal channels, I knew we needed to take this directly to the community.
That’s why I worked with fellow Liberal Democrat councillors to call a public meeting, giving residents the chance to share their experiences and hold South West Water accountable. We invited the company to attend and, if they truly believed the smell wasn’t coming from their site, to provide that evidence.
What we discovered
Working with Councillor Adam Stirling, we obtained data that revealed something shocking: the volume of sludge being trucked in and treated at Tiverton increased by more than 270% between 2021/22 and 2022/23—and has continued to rise since.
When we asked what consultation was undertaken with Tiverton residents before this significant change, South West Water was not aware of any having taken place.
The site now processes approximately 15% of all South West Water’s sludge across Devon and Cornwall, despite serving a relatively small population. Deliveries arrive from as far away as Falmouth, Plymouth, and Bude.
The company relies predominantly on lime treatment—an outdated method known to cause odour issues—while other water companies have largely moved to cleaner anaerobic digestion technology.
The public meeting: 50 residents demand answers
On Thursday 17th April, around 50 frustrated residents packed into Heathcoat Community Centre for our public meeting, chaired by Rachel Gilmour MP.
South West Water declined to attend, despite being formally invited. Instead, they provided a written statement that residents described as inadequate.
The testimony we heard was damning:
The smell was described as "horrendous," "god-awful," and so severe that children hold their noses on the school run
A local farmer whose land surrounds the sewage works told us: "I've lived there all my life and until recent times there's never been any smell, until they altered the processing procedure there. The plant was constructed in 1967 and it's antiquated."
Business owner Tara, who runs a wedding venue near the works, said: "Who wants to smell that for their wedding? Nobody." The smell is now affecting her livelihood.
One resident, Henry, described the varying odours: "Sometimes it smells like fish, sometimes it smells like pork pies. There's all sorts of stuff going in there."
Resident Paul highlighted the lorry problem: "When they're loaded, the lorries slop it all over the sides, they don't wash it off... It takes your breath away if you happen to be walking along a public footpath and the lorry passes you."South West Water’s inadequate response
At the meeting, I outlined findings from our earlier discussions with SWW officials. The company confirmed:
They are not legally required to consult the community about increased activity as long as they remain within their environmental permit
The site is currently operating at only one-third of its licensed sludge treatment capacity—meaning volumes could increase further
A misting system to reduce odours cannot be installed because "the current water pipe to the site is too small to provide the necessary pressure"
A move to cleaner anaerobic digestion technology could take up to 10 yearsSouth West Water also acknowledged the smell could be linked to lorry movements transporting sludge through Tiverton and Ashley, not just the treatment process on site.
I made it clear at our meeting with SWW that passing the buck to environmental health is not a satisfactory response to the community’s concerns.
The company had suggested other sites may be to blame—such as Ashley tip and local farmers. Both Devon County Council’s Ashley Recycling Centre and local farmers have provided written statements confirming they are not the source.
What happens next
It is simply unacceptable for residents to continue suffering like this for another decade while South West Water drags its feet.
Following the meeting, Rachel Gilmour MP announced a comprehensive list of actions:
Writing to Water Minister Emma Hardy demanding to know why odour is not a regulated function and why communities are not consulted about major increases in sludge processing
Demanding a breakdown of sludge "ingredients" and lorry movements from South West Water
Asking the Environment Agency to confirm whether environmental permits cover smell—and if not, why not
Requesting an independent report into the situation from Defra
Calling on Mid Devon District Council to challenge South West Water on sewage capacity for new housing developmentsReport the smell
Councillors have found that the current reporting mechanisms are overly detailed and complex, deterring many residents from making formal complaints. That’s why we’ve created a simplified reporting form to make it easier to log incidents.
Report odour incidents at: tivertonsmell.info
You can also report directly to South West Water, but please use our form too—every report strengthens the case for action.
In October and November 2024 alone, Councillor Adam Stirling recorded at least 14 days of significant odour incidents reported by residents.
My commitment
Residents have put up with this smell for far too long. South West Water needs to hear directly from the community about the real impact this is having on people’s lives – and they need to take responsibility.
I will continue working with Rachel Gilmour MP, Councillor Adam Stirling, Councillor Claudette Harrower, and our team of Liberal Democrat councillors to keep the pressure on until we see real change.
If you’re affected by the smell, please get in touch with me. Your experience matters, and together we will hold South West Water accountable.