Southern Water has broken its silence on the disputed Bembridge Point outfall project, providing OnTheWight with detailed answers to questions about the pipe’s history, its legal challenge, environmental assessments, and why alternative solutions were ruled out.
Despite the very wet and windy weather, many residents staged a protest on the beach on Monday (8th June) when contractors were due to return to the site.
Local resident, Lady Sally Grylls (who is in her 80s), even braved the bad weather to don a swimsuit and join the protest.
Southern Water confirm the planned work has been paused – more on that below.
A pipe from the 1930s, not a new installation
As reported last week, Southern Water maintains that the structure at Bembridge Point is not a new combined sewer overflow (CSO) but an extension of a pipe that dates from the 1930s.
The company says rising beach levels have blocked the outfall over a number of years, preventing it from doing its job.
CSOs act as a pressure relief mechanism during and after heavy rainfall, diverting excess flow – mainly rainwater that has entered the sewer system – away from the network rather than letting it back up into homes and businesses.
Southern Water says the blockage has contributed to more than 20 internal flooding incidents in homes on nearby Solent Landing.
A Southern Water spokesperson said,
“The existing overflow is a long-established part of our network – since at least the 1930s – but rising beach levels have caused it to become blocked, which puts local homes and businesses at risk of flooding.
“So we’re repairing it, not only to ensure regulatory compliance, but so that it operates as intended to protect local properties.”
Legal challenge keeps work on hold
Solicitor and former Isle of Wight councillor, Warren Drew, wrote to Southern Water arguing the installation is unlawful, citing an inadequate Environmental Impact Assessment and a failure to consider alternatives.
The company confirmed it has responded to that legal letter, but declined to share details, citing the legal nature of the correspondence.
Southern Water said the project remains paused while it also engages with the Environment Agency over environmental permitting requirements linked to the future operation of the extended outfall.
Mr Drew stated that he had been informed of the pause this morning (Tuesday), “whilst they consider the points I raised in my rebuttal to their reply”.
Environmental assessment and marine licence
On the question of the nearby seagrass meadows within the Bembridge Marine Conservation Zone, Southern Water says the works received authorisation through the Marine Management Organisation (MMO) permitting process.
Environmental information covering the potential effects on designated sites and protected habitats was submitted as part of that application.
Statutory consultees, including the Environment Agency and Natural England, were consulted, and the company provided additional information in response to comments received during that process.
The MMO granted a marine licence for the works subject to conditions.
Why alternatives were ruled out
Southern Water says the Environment Agency issued a regulatory requirement to return the asset to operational condition in order to reduce the flood risk to nearby properties.
The company says it investigated and implemented a range of measures before reaching this point.
Those interventions included removing a 14-metre section of pipe with a poor gradient, cutting out an incorrectly connected culverted stream that had been funnelling surface water into the sewer network since 2011, and clearing approximately three tonnes of fat and debris from the pipe.
Despite those efforts, the flooding problem persisted.
The company argues that storm storage tanks would not provide a lasting solution because they would fill rapidly during heavy rainfall and – once at capacity – would still require the CSO to operate to prevent surcharge.
Longer-term work to reduce surface water entering the network is planned for the Bembridge area, but Southern Water says that programme cannot start until 2028 and does not remove the immediate need to restore the CSO.
Robertson: Call for assistance
On Monday, Isle of Wight East Conservative MP, Joe Robertson, spoke in Parliament about the work. He said,
“Southern Water is preparing to dump sewage on a beach in Bembridge, on the Isle of Wight, in a new location.
“The Environment Agency says that that is okay because there is an old combined sewer overflow pipe there, notwithstanding the fact that it has not been used in decades.
“Does the Minister agree that that is unacceptable? If she does, what assistance can she and her Government provide to stop this from happening?”
Emma Hardy, The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, replied,
“The hon. Gentleman raises an important point. I would be happy to look into it and get back to him. If he wants to have a meeting with me to discuss it further, we can make that arrangement.”
Chief executive to face councillors this week
The dispute over Bembridge Point forms part of a wider picture of Isle of Wight concern about Southern Water’s performance on the Isle of Wight.
Southern Water chief executive Lawrence Gosden will visit County Hall on Wednesday 11th June to hear councillors’ concerns about sewage in local seas and waterways.
The visit follows months of pressure from Lib Dem councillor Michael Lilley, who had pushed since February for Mr Gosden to meet councillors and officers on the Island in person.
Bembridge councillor Mark Rochell said,
“Sadly, despite a wave of public anger and objection the works on the CSO look likely to go ahead. If so, I’ll be pressing Mr Gosden to ensure that Southern Water urgently bring forward planned investments to reduce overflows from these pipes. The Island and its precious coastal waters cannot wait four to five years for work to begin.”
Lib Dem West Wight lead councillor Nick Stuart added,
“No sea is safe from the failure of Southern Water to handle the basic task of sewage control and it’s time for the Government to take stronger action to force water companies to clean up their act.”
Following Wednesday’s meeting, the Lib Dem group plans to press for Mr Gosden to attend public meetings in East and West Wight so that Islanders can put questions to him directly.
