CAMPAIGNERS against plans for a St Austell Bay desalination plant say revised proposals from South West Water are no improvement.

The water company has said that after listening to environmental concerns it is changing its plans.

Instead of immediately building a large desalination plant at Par Docks, South West Water says it wants to now build a smaller plant before potentially creating a complex of the size it initially envisaged.

But the Desalination Information Group (DIG) says the company’s proposal to have a two-stage approach changes nothing.

DIG, which has been holding information days to get its message across to the public, says the project poses a threat to environmentally sensitive seagrass, the maerl, and the endangered and protected seahorses that make St Austell Bay their home.

The campaigners also object to a proposed land pipe between Par and Lostwithiel.

A DIG spokesperson said: “The new proposal will see the land pipeline installed in advance of securing the required licences and approval for the marine pipeline and the final installation of the desalination plant.

“There would be a ‘temporary suction pipe’ in Par Harbour and the discharge of brine back into the bay.

“Phase One would achieve just 2.5 to five million litres of desalinated water per day whilst Phase Two has simply delayed their previous plans.

“All plans for the land pipeline remain unchanged, which means the disruption and devastation caused by installing a pipe of at least 700mm diameter through tracts of farmland, private gardens, organic wildflower meadows and ancient woodlands would still progress regardless.

“Currently, the impact of the surveys has caused distress to many landowners along the route. Drilling rigs have been installed on private property, heavy machinery used in wet weather has churned up previously undisturbed ground, and equipment and heavy duty groundmats left on farmland have prevented use of the fields for livestock and planting crops.”

Brian Harrison of the Say No To Desal campaign started by DIG said: “South West Water currently leaks 112.2 million litres of water every single day.

“How can they justify all this environmental devastation and expense for a desalination plant that will generate a tiny fraction of the amount of water they allow to leak away?

“South West Water says ‘every drop is precious’ whilst neglecting to repair leaks that see the equivalent of 45 Olympic swimming pools lost on a daily basis.”

South West Water has applied for a licence from the government’s Marine Management Organisation (MMO) to conduct surveys in St Austell Bay to prepare for the proposed desalination plant.

DIG is calling on people to voice objections to the application.

South West Water decided on pursuing the desalination idea after the heatwaves and water restrictions in recent years.