Relief in Brixham as South West Water boss retires
BBCSouth West Water (SWW) boss Susan Davy's retirement has come as a welcome relief for one customer.
Brixham resident Louise Harcarova-Geary fell ill during the cryptosporidium outbreak along with her young daughter in 2024. The outbreak, which left 143 people ill and led to four hospitalisations, was traced to a contaminated reservoir.
Ms Davy's retirement was a "good thing, because there might be some change from this", said Ms Harcarova-Geary.
Pennon Group, which owns SWW, praised her leadership, with chairman David Sproul saying she navigated the group "through some challenging external headwinds to emerge stronger and more resilient".
Ms Harcarova-Geary, who still relies on bottled water a year after the outbreak, said she had lost trust in the company's supply.
"Hopefully funds can be distributed properly to make sure our water integration system is properly maintained going forward," she said.
Ms Davy, who had been with SWW's parent company Pennon Group for nearly two decades, faced mounting criticism for her handling of the crisis.
Just a day before her retirement was announced, water regulator Ofwat revealed a £24m enforcement package against SWW, citing failings in how the company managed its network.
What issues did Susan Davy face?
- Cryptosporidium outbreak in Brixham: Contaminated drinking water led to 143 confirmed illnesses and four hospitalisations in 2024
- Regulatory action by Ofwat: Ofwat found failings in South West Water's management of wastewater treatment and sewer networks. A £24m enforcement package was introduced to avoid a £19m fine
- Environmental and pollution concerns: In June, one of SWW's treatment works was the source of pollution that killed thousands of fish in a Cornish river
- Repeated storm overflow incidents
- In April a burst water main in Plymouth left hundreds of homes and businesses without water for several days
In a statement, Pennon Group praised Ms Davy's leadership, highlighting her role in acquiring three other water companies and overseeing a £4.2bn sale of waste firm Viridor.
The company also noted her announcement of a record £3.2bn capital investment programme over the next five years.
Pennon's board will conduct a formal search for a successor, during which time Ms Davy will continue to helm the company, it said in a statement.
Details of Ms Davy's retirement compensation will be published on the company's website, it said.
She will be treated as a "good leaver" under the board's remuneration policy.
Ms Davy said: "Running a water company is always interesting, often challenging, but totally fulfilling
"I have enjoyed taking responsibility for the provision of a sustainable service to millions of homes."
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