Central Devon is eligible for a share in a new Water Restoration Fund (WRF), which will see water company fines reinvested into the community to improve the water environment.

The region is set to receive a share of the £2.15million fine South West Water paid last year for illegal sewage discharge into Devon and Cornwall's waterways.

Mel Stride, MP for Central Devon and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, said: "I am pleased to see the Government not only taking tough action to ensure regulators are well-equipped to hold those who pollute to account, but also investing the money collected through penalties back into the local communities that have been impacted by sewage."

The Water Restoration Fund will use fines collected from water and sewerage companies across the country between April 2022 and October 2023 to invest in local projects to improve the water environment in areas where illegal pollution has occurred. The fund will offer grants to community-led schemes, farmers, landowners, and other local groups to carry out projects that enhance biodiversity and community access to blue and green spaces.

The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced an additional £180m of investment to improve the maintenance of the sewer network, in addition to existing commitments.

South West Water has also pledged an additional £32 million in 2024 to deliver specific improvements. These include increased storm storage, sewer network cleansing, and structural defect repair.

Find out more or apply for a WRF grant here.