The Alliance Administration of the Isle of Wight Council say they are cautiously welcoming news that Southern Water have made the Island a priority area to deal with the problem of sewage outfalls.
Cllr Jonathan Bacon, Cabinet Member for Environment, Heritage and Waste said,
“On the face of it we can only be pleased that Southern Water have announced that the Island is to be a Pathfinder site to cut sewage dumping, however that pleasure has to be tempered with some concerns.
“There will always be mixed feelings when you are selected as a test area for a new project.”
Bacon: Disappointed project does not cover the whole Island
The Cabinet member went on to say,
“It is also unfortunate that the Sandown Treatment Plant will still not be upgraded until 2030 and we are most disappointed that the project does not cover the whole Island.
“There are other areas which have clearly experienced problems but which will apparently not benefit from what is proposed.”
Holding SW to account
In order to measure the success of Southern Water’s plans, Cllr Bacon added,
“We would also like to see a clear timescale for what is proposed so that progress and success can be measured and Southern Water can be held to account as this project proceeds.”
Credit to those who have raised awareness
There are many people who have been responsible for raising awareness of the utility company polluting rivers and seas with untreated sewage, including a number of events.
Cllr Bacon went on to say,
“We have been seeking action from Southern Water following the many unfortunate polluting events over the last year, but a great deal of credit must go to those, such as the local Stop the Sewage Group, who have both raised public awareness and put pressure on Southern Water to come up with the actions now proposed.
“Nevertheless the fact that we now appear to have a commitment to prevent the sort of discharges that caused so much concern last summer is good. Our beaches and rivers are key parts of our Island Biosphere and our visitor economy. We must seek to do everything possible to ensure they are protected.”
Bacon: Rebuild trust with the residents
The Cabinet member finished by saying,
“One thing that must happen to help this project succeed is for Southern Water to rebuild trust with the residents of the Isle of Wight. We need to have confidence in the company that deals with our water supply and takes away our sewage. We hope that this project and the way it is handled will proceed with this in mind.
“We look forward to working together with Southern Water to help make this project successful, but they will be closely watched to see that they honour the commitment they have made.”
The FT reported yesterday that a cross-party committee of MPs have said successive governments, regulators and water companies have accepted “pre-Victorian practices” of allowing raw effluent to flow into rivers, and turned a “blind eye” to sewage pollution.
