SOUTH West Water has been accused of a “dramatic failure” to protect water quality after an unpermitted sewage discharge was identified in a major Plymouth waterway — just days after the company was hit with a record £7.8-million fine for environmental offences.

Luke Pollard, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, has demanded urgent answers from the water company after the Environment Agency uncovered operational problems at a treatment works on the River Plym.

The agency has issued advice against swimming at Plymouth Hoe East and West following the discovery, warning the water company it must resolve the issues “as a matter of urgency”.

Mr Pollard said: “I’m appalled to hear the Environment Agency found several issues during an inspection of South West Water's central waste water treatment works in Plymouth yesterday, prompting this notice against bathing at the Hoe.

“This is a dramatic failure of South West Water to protect our water quality. I have asked South West Water for urgent answers and a clear plan to put this right. I love swimming in the Sound but we should all take note of this serious warning.

“South West Water should be in no doubt that the government is serious about ending the sewage crisis and if they can't do it, then we will look at the new steps the Prime Minister announced only a few days ago to force them to do what is right.”

The Environment Agency said officers inspected the water company’s treatment works on Thursday and identified operational issues, including what it considers to be an un-permitted discharge of sewage from a storm overflow.

A spokesperson said: “In light of this sewage discharge, we issued advice against bathing at Plymouth Hoe East and West. South West Water must address these issues as a matter of urgency. We will keep this matter under investigation.”

The latest incident comes in the same week South West Water was ordered to pay £7,867,733 at Plymouth Magistrates' Court for environmental offences across Devon and Cornwall over a six-year period.

The record-breaking penalty, imposed on Tuesday following a case brought by the Environment Agency, is the largest ever fine for environmental offences in the region.

District Judge Joanna Matson issued a stark warning to the company during sentencing, declaring that “incidents of pollution will not be tolerated”.

In a statement, a South West Water spokesperson said: “We are aware that the Environment Agency has issued advice against bathing at Plymouth Hoe East and West. We take these reports seriously and are investigating the situation while working closely with the Environment Agency.”