As South West Water defends a court action from a Devon swimmer, it also claims it has no legal duty to keep waters clean

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.world/post/13700940

South West Water is claiming it has no legal obligation to keep rivers and seawater clean of sewage in its defence against a Devon swimmer who is taking the water company to court.

Jo Bateman, who attempts to swim every day off the coast of Exmouth, is taking legal action against South West Water, claiming its frequent sewage discharges into the sea have taken away her legal right to a public “amenity”.

However, in its defence to Ms Bateman’s claim, seen by i, the water firm states no one has a legal right to swim in the sea.

  • @LandmammalsEnglish
    15•8 months ago

    Speaking as a Libertarian, this company needs to be destroyed and every penny used to clean up the ocean.

    • @Schal330English
      11•8 months ago

      What will actually happen is the company will get a slap on the wrist and told to clean it up. From there they will up their customers prices in order to clean up their own negligence.

        • @Lemming421English
          2•8 months ago

          Or the CEO will get a golden parachute, the company will fail, the government will bail it out (because water companies are monopolies in the UK in their areas so you have to make sure the water keeps flowing) and a new CEO who’s probably mates with some Cabinet ministers will get in and the whole cycle will repeat. And they still won’t clean it up.

          • @[email protected]English
            1•8 months ago

            It’s just crazy that a random stranger on Lemmy who probably has zero background in politics understands how the British system works more than most in government.

            Well on second thought, the government knows, they just like it this way

            • @Lemming421English
              2•8 months ago

              Can confirm: do not have a background in politics.

              I am a Brit though, and am getting increasingly cynical as I get older.

    • @StovetopEnglish
      5•8 months ago

      But who can hold this company to account if not the government?

    • @HappycamperNZEnglish
      0•8 months ago

      Speaking as someone with basic law knowledge, this specific company has no legal obligations to this specific swimmer.

      However, let’s get into tort of negligence where while this swimmer cant profit from it, the company can be forced to correct its damages and make those affected whole.

      Im thinking a multi billion dollar program focused on reseeding the oceans, filtering of approx 150km3 of water, and restoration of biodiversity to pre industrial levels. Plus 8 hours of average wage for the swimmer as compensation for lost time and a new surf board of equal or greater value.