Real time monitoring of bacteria in our coastal waters, a £300million investment in Kent and a Southern Water stakeholder group for Thanet are some of the things pledged by water company chiefs at a meeting in Ramsgate last night (April 21).
Some 120 people attended the gathering at Royal Harbour Academy so that they could put their questions to Southern Water CEO Ian McAulay and Dr Toby Wilson, the water company’s chief of environment and sustainability.
The panel included Thanet council leader Ash Ashbee, county councillor Karen Constantine, Sally Harvey from the Environment Agency and was chaired by South Thanet MP Craig Mackinlay.
Campaigners from SOS Ramsgate, who had been pushing for the meeting since last year, were among those attending.
The meeting was arranged to discuss Southern Water’s improvement plans in light of wastewater releases that shut a large number of the isle’s beaches in June and October last year. Those incidents prompted a number of public protest rallies.
Giving a presentation, Ian McAulay (pictured) said Thanet is in “the most water stressed region I have ever worked in.”
He added: “We can’t keep taking water from the environment, but we have got to make sure we have got enough.”
He said part of the solution was the Target 100 scheme where people reduce personal consumption to an average of 100 litres each per day by 2040 while Southern Water reduces leakage by 15% by 2025 and 40% by 2040.
Using water butts, porous surfacing and nature-based solutions – which include soakaways and tree pits -were also suggested.
The CEO, who is a civil and environmental engineer by trade, said pollution came from the combined water system – rainfall, surface water and sewer water all in the same pipes – agriculture and highways.
But he said with industries working together storm overflows – where water overwhelms the system and has to be released into the sea through outfall pipes – would become “a thing of the past.”
Southern Water aims to cut storm overflow releases by 80% by 2030. The aging system has capacity for dry weather flow but has to deploy releases during high intensity rainfall.
Mr McAulay, who revealed he will soon be retiring, said investment had been made in infrastructure and more was planned but changes in planning regulations are also needed. He said: “We do not have a right of refusal for new developments but what I want is to be able to refuse to connect the wrong thing. I don’t want water inefficiency; we need a sustainable development policy.”
He said there should be requirements for porous materials and sustainable drainage systems (SUDS) for new developments. He also said he wants compulsory water metering in homes which would lead to a “massive reduction in consumption” and efficiency labelling on every water consumptive device.
Water quality was a major concern raised during the meeting, from the safety of bathing waters to requests for testing of drinking water.
Cllr Anne-Marie Nixey, speaking on behalf of Ramsgate Town Council, said there were particular concerns over the quality of water from the aquifer (at Manston airport) and contamination by Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS), which are ‘forever’ chemicals linked with areas such as airports and military firefighting foam. The same issue was raised by Cllr Becky Wing who said she was also concerned about pollution from bunkering- – transferring fuel oil from one ship to another vessel alongside off the coastline.
A spokesman from the Edge Group said his company had looked after the Manston aquifer but owners RSP had dispensed with their services. The speaker added: “Any incident there could contaminate our drinking water.” Cllr Ashbee said she would take the matter up with RSP.
The following day, Tony Freudmann of RSP, said Edge Enviro had been commissioned by Stone Hill Park several years ago to manage any spillages if the site was used for lorry parking but there had been no contact with RSP. He added that the Environment Agency had been in charge of managing risks during the site’s use for lorry parking last year and the aquifer comes under Southern Water’s supervision.
Reparations to the community for the wastewater release incidents last year were raised with a request from Barry Manners, of the Kingsgate and Botany Bay volunteer group, for further funding to employ a beach cleaner. Southern Water already subsidises a cleaner for 10 hours a week. Mr Manners wanted this increased to 30 hours and for it to run into 2023.
Cllr Ashby said she would co-ordinate arrangements so other volunteer groups on the isle also had the opportunity for funding.
Mr McAulay said £300m was being invested in Kent projects and £250k had been contributed to Thanet families in need.
Dr Wilson said the investment in real-time monitoring of bacteria in water is being trialled in Hayling Island and would be rolled out and there would be extra investment in the Beach Buoy system.
Cllr Constantine said answers being given were “too vague” and not “specific details and plans.” She added: “You (Southern Water) need to commit to a proper community engagement strategy, setting up a stakeholder group and investing in our community.”
Mr McAulay said all councils had Southern Water’s investment plans and project details and pumping station sites were being opened to more visitors. The stakeholder group was agreed. Dr Wilson said talks were also taking place with Thanet council about improvements to public toilets with water efficient facilities.
A request for citizen water testing kits did not get the green light. A question about whether pumping stations were reaching the speeds specified in their permits remained unanswered due to the Environment Agency currently carrying out an investigation into the issue which could result in prosecution.
Broadstairs councillor Ros Binks said filth on the beaches damaged Thanet’s tourism industry and hit local businesses, adding: “If beaches start looking dirty then forget about the summer season, 95% of people come to Thanet for the sea, sand and beaches.
“It takes a long time to get a reputation back if they see filth on our beaches.”
Following the meeting Cllr Constantine said: ““Last night’s public meeting with Southern Water was well run but very heavily stage managed, tickets had to be booked on line and questions submitted in advance, and being held at Royal Harbour School meant it was a difficult location for many to attend.
“Along with other activists such as SOS Ramsgate there have been sustained efforts to make this meeting happen. We all agree that the importance of water safety can not be understated. I was disappointed to see Craig Mackinlay acting as chair rather than answering questions about his role in Parliament securing improvements in legislation and holding Southern Water to account on our behalf.
“Last night we were effectively given two key pieces of information -there will be improvements to the infrastructure. But this information wasn’t as specific as we need it to be and improvements must be made because Thanet water supply is ‘under stress’ and in order to get these improvements we’ll see a rise in our water bills.
“After raising the issue of the formation of a stakeholder group several times, Southern Water finally agreed to this. I believe this will be invaluable going forward and may assist the company to rebuild its reputation and improve its service to us.
“Many of us understand there are steps we can take as individuals, being careful to only flush our toilets with the 3 P’s, pee, poo and paper, to collect rain water and to allow rain water to soak away, rather than run off concrete drives, patios etc.
“There were insightful suggestions from the audience about what more should be done with regard to planning. Why isn’t planning and the national planning framework being used as a tool to protect water? Why isn’t the Government taking more proactive steps? A vital question with all the proposed house building in Thanet and one which our local MP missed.
“Southern Water have a long way to go, but at least they have started to listen. We will keep the pressure on.”
as soon as theres a mention of extra investment! you know full well who will pay for it – us mugs
If we (the mugs) are to benefit from improvements to water treatment, then it’s only right that we pay for it.
What’s completely wrong is that a significant % of our water rates goes straight into the pockets of investors.
Some enlightened boroughs have for years been insisting that paved over gardens and so on must be constructed of porous material, to give rainfall a chance to soak away. Not so here. You can see house after house with its front garden paved, bricked or concreted over, with the consequence that any rain goes straight into the drain, on its way to overwhelm the treatment works.
Interesting to read that SW has no power to oppose new housing development, even though these things are definitely going to make things worse.
Concreted gardens, I totally agree. There should be a Green tax.
Thanet is arid, true. We will be in drought within 20 years or less. But, we do not need to decrease consumption – how does reduction square with new housing demanded . There’s plenty of water – its just that its sea water. So , we need our own desalination plant on Thanet’s coast, powered by a dedicated tidal generator at the same site; or by further offshore wind generated electricity. Pure water then pumped to a reservoir at Manston, preferably a leaky lake that can continuously replenish the aquifer. We can then use as much water as we like. Use climate change – rising seas, more atmospheric energy – to provide the solution (!) at no carbon cost.Start campaigning now.
Once upon a time we had a nationalised water company. Delivering water from the north and west of the country (where there’s a surplus) to the south east (where there’s a shortage) would be a simple matter of pipes and pumps.
But because water supply in various parts of the country is run by independant companies, commercial interest gets in the way.
So while water in the Lake District and North Wales cascades over the reservoir dams and runs to the sea, here in the South East we’re drying up.
Very true Andrew, but the cost of pipework and engineering, not just ££ but the Carbon Cost, would be prohibitive. The National Grid for water, is a C20 solution, but in C21 we need a system tailored to our peculiar local need, and does need emphatically to be in public ownership – municipal or cooperative, and integrating with a national Water Board. As noted it would be a Carbon-Neutral answer, completing a virtuous circle.
Agree, desalination plants have been used in places such as Mallorca for decades.
Desalination = very very expensive
The expense of a desalination plant is mainly the cost of energy required to push molecules through nano-mesh. The expensive plants have oil-fired generators (as in Israel) , totally unacceptible in carbon cost as well as in ££. The only energy that makes carbon and ££ sense is sustainably produced electricity. This is why a plant should have its dedicated energy supply, which in our case could be tidal – free energy for us.
“Arid” really is not the right word for Kent’s conditions.
Will Cllr Ash Ashbee be publishing all her correspondence with Riveroak Strategic Partners? Our drinking water is perhaps one of the most serious matters of Thanet which effects and impacts every single person in every single ward regardless of age or socio-economic background. It is not a matter for party politics or a matter of ‘personal correspondence’ (I understand this happened before with correspondence to and from DLUC). I really do not want to read that FOIs had to be done in order to hear about the results of this matter with Riveroak Strategic Partners and our drinking water.
I see there has been a comment added by TF to this article. Thank you Kathy.
In essence it reads that everyone is pointing the finger at everyone else.
Will Cllr Ash Ashbee follow up with Southern Water and make sure our drinking water is tested and safe?
Its systems not people that need pointing at. Private drinking water supply and waste water removal just isn’t working.
I have now doubt thatthe drinking water t is safe: SW always make this point. They have a responsibility to provide potable water. The issue is the continued supply into the future and no-one seems to have that responsibility. In USA , State of Colorado, developers have to guarantee a 100 year supply.
I understand that Tony Freudman has his own particular problems with a pipe draining from Manstonbto Pegwell Bay.
Fair play to the CEO for coming out and facing the public.
It’s absolutely no skin off his nose to turn out to throw a few sweetie to the peasants.
He still gets his huge salary, the shareholders still get £Ms of our money, and next time it rains, our beaches will be contaminated with sewage.
Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.
Sounds like he was sacrificed as he is doing Woger Gale & retiring.
Last year a torrent of water ran down Boundary Road in Ramsgate for a good six weeks, due to a faulty valve, which was repaired in a morning! SWA couldn’t run a bath, and neither will we, if they can waste water like this!
It could be that the replacement valve and associated pipework had to be specially manufactured (abroad, of course)?
It’s up to the government, to put up taxes on cemented drives. When we run out of water , people will be shocked . Blue beaches
a they really .?
Southern water should test waters during the summer . Be fined by the government . Just make life more bearable .
Everytime I SEA swim , I have to keep my mouth shut here.
The government should introduce a law making it illegal to use non-porous surfacing on front and back gardens, perhaps excepting a limited area of pathway.
It seems Ash and TDC want a cargo hub literally at any cost.
And will put up with the shambolic RSP at any cost.
Shocking timed for absurd pet projects run by failed aviators now dicing with our health in new ways we couldn’t even have had nightmares about.