Factory in 'critical situation' as water limited

A chicken factory says it has been forced into a "critical situation" because its water supply has been restricted as South West Water (SWW) implements "urgent measures" to save water.

SWW said it had been forced to introduce restrictions during the heatwave, including a hosepipe ban in parts of Devon and Dorset.

2 Sisters Food Group said its poultry processing plant at Willand near Cullompton was operating on a minimum level of water to process birds, causing "an urgent animal welfare issue".

SWW said it needed to prioritise private customers and human health, animal welfare and businesses in that order, but had agreed to a request to increase the flow and pressure of water at the factory.

2 Sisters Food Group said the restrictions on its water supplies created a "serious and immediate animal welfare risk".

"Water is essential to every stage of our operation, including those relating to legally-required hygiene and food safety procedures," it said.

"We have already reduced our water consumption by almost 30% and below this level we cannot operate the site to the required food safety and animal health and welfare requirements.

"We are in a situation that needs immediate and urgent action. We need support to restore sufficient water supply and allow operations to continue safely and responsibly, maintaining the UK food supply chain."

South West Water has implemented water conservation measures, including a hosepipe ban in Mid Devon and other parts of the county, including South Molton, Axminster and Honiton as well as Lyme Regis in Dorset.

Sam Bottomley, South West Water's director of drinking water services, said there had been a 20% increase in water consumption and "that's more consumption than we're able to make water".

He said the 2 Sisters Food Group factory used the same amount of water in one day that 2,000 people used in a week and human consumption had to be prioritised over businesses.

Operations would need to be suspended and the remaining chickens sent to a different site to be processed, he added.

He said South West Water said it was doing all it could to protect supplies following the recent hot weather, including using additional tankers to transport water into the network.

An update from South West Water on Tuesday said the company fully recognised the importance of animal welfare and appreciated the "operational challenges faced by the company".

It said it made "extensive efforts" to engage with the business before any action was taken.

"Throughout this period, we have made sure the water pressure to the business has remained above the legal minimum standard," a spokesperson said.

"As a temporary measure we have agreed to their request for increased flow and pressure to enable the company to process all birds on site and in the immediate supply chain, and to implement their business continuity plan from Wednesday morning."

Home owners have given a mixed response to the need for a hosepipe ban.

Malcolm Pollard from Tiverton said the ban "didn't seem right after so much rain for so long".

He said: "We've had nothing but rain for months and months on end.

"The ground's been sodden, flooded and now a couple of months of dry weather and they're asking for a hosepipe ban. Why?"

Fellow Tiverton resident Joan Kelly took a different view on South West Water's instructions to use less water.

She said: "I think it's something they have to do and we just have to accept that and conserve water as much as we can."

Russell McGoldrick, also from the town, said he thought the decision had been "overdue, actually, because the rivers are really low".

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