River Yealm Water Quality Group
Shared initiatives
1. Pollution event reporting
The “Yealm Dippers” have reported a number of transient pollution incidents to the Environment Agency (EA), towards helping identify sources of pollution as may possibly include China clay works, sewage treatment works and surface water runoff.
Most importantly, based mainly upon inputs from “Yealm Dippers”, the RYWQG collated a 23 page report tendered to the EA evidencing a critical incident involving release of China clay-like material in December 2022, which material smothered the beds of Rivers Piall and Yealm for months thereafter, during winter months when fish eggs normally develop.
See the incident report collated by RYWQG illustrating deposits of China clay like material in December 2022:
Deposits of China clay-like material smothered the Rivers Piall and Yealm for months after introduction in Dec 2022 (Hawkins and Bertram 2023)
2. Helping plan effective separation of surface water runoff from sewage
RYWQG have reviewed local decision-making relating to how development within the catchment may impact river water quality, producing reports and guidance that have been made available for use by Wembury, Brixton, Yealmpton, Newton & Noss, Ermington, Cornwood and Sparkwell Parish Councils when considering planning applications for any new development, including extensions where any issue of safe and sustainable disposal of surface water on site is part of the application, most especially towards helping ensure sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) whereby surface water runoff does not drain into and thus overload sewage treatment works.
See a Report describing impact of roof drainage connections to the foul sewer:
See a Report emphasizing the need to separate surface water runoff from sewage:
See Planning Guidances re Water Quality for the Riparian Parishes of the River Yealm:
3. Bathing Water Status
In 2022, RYWQG reviewed the need for and possible benefits of achieving designated bathing water status (BWS), described on the Government website here.
See that initial review and more recent report, emphasising the main driver as being to encourage the improvement and maintenance of associated water quality:
Since that time, DEFRA has awarded bathing water status to 16 new river sites, including Coastguards Beach on the Erme estuary.
Following which, in October 2025, the Newton and Noss Bathing Water Status Group (N&N BWS) have submitted an application for bathing water status in Newton and Noss Creeks, tidal waters of the Yealm Estuary, which application is fully endorsed by the River Yealm Water Quality Group.
See a description of that application by N&N BWS on their Facebook page:
4. International Paint Ltd - Akzo Nobel
The RYWQG are engaged with the River Yealm District Association, River Yealm Harbour Authority, Newton and Noss Environment Group and Newton and Noss Parish Council with respect to potential environmental remediation work outside the former Akzo Nobel paint-testing laboratory, following a major spill between 2 September 2015 and 27 October 2016, with serious implications referenced here.
A consolidated view on whether remediation should be effected, together with associated safeguards, was submitted on behalf of the local community to the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) in March 2024.
See a summary compiled by Newton & Noss Parish Council of that consolidated view and suggested safeguards here.
Akzo Nobel held a public meeting on 11 Oct 2025 to explain their work plan to remove TBT from foreshore in the lower reaches of our river in front of old International Paints Laboratory, scheduled to commence in October 2025. For those unable to attend, slides presented during that meeting may be seen here.
5. Scrutiny Group
Scrutiny Group, assessing South West Waters plansThe RYWQG is working with other water quality groups within what is known as the “Scrutiny Group” to consider South West Water’s (SWW) intentions as stated within their Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan, including the National Storm Water Overflows Plan, towards a collated set of questions relating to the South Hams, which questions can then be used by local Councillors and others to engage with SWW and the EA/OFWAT to help the process of reducing storm water overflows.
See SWW’s Regional Drainage and Wastewater Management Plan:
See the National Storm Water Overflows Plan:
6. Yealm Catchment Plan
Contributing outputs from the above projects, the RYWQG is working with others to help YEM, the Environment Agency and WRT lead in the development of a River Yealm Catchment Plan which:
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captures what residents and landowners value about the catchment and their concerns;
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builds on existing knowledge, expertise and projects;
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sets the key long-term priorities to protect and enhance in our environment for the future; and
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creates an action plan that facilitates an integrated and co-operative approach to implementation, supports project funding applications and can serve to monitor progress.
By these means, this plan brings together what is necessary to help restore and conserve our catchments ecology, towards a sustainable legacy.
See an outline summary of Yealm Catchment Plan on the YEM website here.
7. Yealm Mapper
Helping to facilitate the above Yealm Catchment Plan, the University of Plymouth, in collaboration with YEM and the RYWQG, have developed the “Yealm Mapper”, which tool enables users to:
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view data within the whole river catchment and estuary and to zoom in to particular locations within the catchment;
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analyse data within the catchment by viewing over-laying datasets, such as include for all sewage overflows and their associated licenses; and
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input data for displaying in map form.
The Yealm Mapper caters for different levels of user engagement with the local environment, from those who have a general interest in the river catchment, to those wishing to undertake specific ‘place-based’ enhancements.
See further details on the Yealm Mapper through the University of Plymouth link to "Data Accessibility for River Catchment Environmental Enhancement (DARCEE)" here.
