UNDER-FIRE chief executive of the company which owns South West Water Susan Davy is to quit.

Ms Davy, who headed Pennon Group, has announced her retirement from the highly-paid role.

She 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.’

Her announcement comes the day after beleaguered SWW was imposed with a £24-million enforcement package by regulators OFWAT.

Ms Davy, who is also to leave her position on the board of Pennon Group, served as CEO for five years and has been chief financial officer since 2015.

OFWAT yesterday told SWW it had to make improvements following a three-year investigation into its failures in managing wastewater treatment works and sewer networks.

Just last month Pennon announced it had made a £72.7m loss.

Meanwhile MPs in the South West, including Newton Abbot’s Martin Wrigley and South Devon’s Caroline Voaden, said they had no confidence in her leadership.

Following her announcement, Mr Wrigley said: “Following our joint letter calling for the resignation of Susan Davy, we would like to thank her for making the right decision in light of the recent findings of Ofwat. We can look forward to new ways of working for both the environment and customers; South West Water and Pennon Group have the opportunity now to appoint someone who can take the company forward.”

Ms Davy was appointed chief executive on July 31, 2020, having served as chief financial officer since 2015.

Today Pennon said that after more than 18 years with the group, and nearly 30 years in the water sector, she has decided ‘that the time is right for her to hand over to a new leader’.

Her pay had come under scrutiny with complaints from MPs.

But Ms Davy had pointed out she received no bonus this year, but still took a total salary of £803,000 of which £191,000 was awarded as 'variable pay’.

Over the last year, she has come under criticism for a string of high-profile incidents including the Cryptosporidium outbreak in Brixham and residents in Plymouth and Tavistock without water for several days.