A Change in the Waters? | Margate Mercury
The other day I read somewhere that more people in the world have access to mobile phones than toilets and I was millimetres from accidentally dropping mine in the loo and cutting that deficit by one. Who would have ever predicted that the urge to connect would someday surpass the urge to, well pee and poo?
Addressing this issue of the political and economical imbalance in global sanitation is precisely what the UN endeavours to do on World Toilet Day, which falls on November 19, and aims to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 6 (SDG6), or sanitation for all by 2030. Recently held talks too in Glasgow for COP26 have highlighted the exigency for coordinated action in order to curb carbon emissions and tackle climate change for the greater good of every living species.
Meanwhile, in our own backyard local residents have been more vociferous than ever before about their dissatisfaction with Southern Water, the privately-run utility company that has been in the news of late for all the wrong reasons. Last summer they were slapped with an eye-watering £90 million fine for the historical discharging of raw sewage into the rivers and coastal areas of Kent, Hampshire and Sussex - the largest penalty of its kind since the Environment Agency was established back in 1995. Untreated sewage dumped into the sea earlier this year during the peak holiday period had forced the closure of several main beaches when the company had claimed that a lightning strike had damaged their pumping station on the seafront at Foreness Bay. In October, bathers were prohibited from entering the sea below the high water mark on 14 beaches between Westbrook Bay and the Western Undercliff in Ramsgate due to yet another pumping station failure, this time at their Broadstairs site. And the spate of utility mismanagement has been felt away from the coast too, with several reported disruptions to the local water supply.
Photo courtesy of Katie Leeman.
Understandably, community outrage here in Margate has been palpable, with hundreds turning out in October to protest what they had perceived as the unremitting and irresponsible failure of Southern Water to prevent unscreened wastewater and sewage from washing up on the local beaches and polluting the natural waterways. Across the country too, local groups including Surfers Against Sewage, SOS Whitstable, Conham River Bathing Group and Manningtree Mermaids to name a few have rallied together to galvanise MPs into forcing an amendment to the Environment Bill, which aims to place the duty on water companies to deliver a continued reduction in discharges of storm overflows.
But does this new government amendment bill actually signify a change in the waters, and how exactly do they propose to hold private utility companies accountable to ensure untreated sewage doesn’t end up in our rivers and beaches?
Read the full article for the Margate Mercury here.
Full interviews
Interview with Simon Fluendy, Media Officer for Southern Water.
What are your initial thoughts on the environment bill passed?
We think it’s a very important step in the right direction.
Whilst some people had wanted it to go further, the environment bill has set the course - and that is the course that Southern Water wants to be on. We have listened to the recent calls from the public to reduce stormwater releases and are responding accordingly. This is one of the reasons why we’ve launched a new task force that aims to cut storm releases by as much as 80% by 2030. In addition to investing £7 billion since 2010, we’re spending almost £2 billion between now and 2025 on wastewater networks, equipment and environmental projects.
Southern Water is currently looking at new ways to separate rainwater from our sewer systems that will be as minimally disruptive as possible to the local residents. This is going to require collaborative efforts from local councils and NGO’s, but I’m confident we are going to see a complete change in key areas over the next few years.
How large is the scale of the problem in your opinion, and who is responsible for the infrastructure?
Let’s take a moment to consider our network: we have 367 wastewater treatment works, 3000+ pumping stations, and 39,500km of network. Every day we treat 748 million litres of wastewater. That just gives you an idea of the large scope we are dealing with. Furthermore, our footprint on the wastewater side stretches from Thanet in the north-east, to The Needles on the Isle of Wight (700 miles of coastline and 83 dedicated bathing waters). We are a key custodian of the quality of coastal waters around us because of the scale of our operation and the scale of our investments.
The way that investment in infrastructure works with regards to water companies has been that every 5 years a business plan is submitted to The Water Services Regulation Authority (or Ofwat) with a proposal - for example, how much pipe needs replacing, how many new wastewater treatment works are needed etc. Ofwat then needs to approve this - taking into consideration the price of consumer bills. In other words, we are not permitted to simply spend what we like and to charge it to customers. Whilst this is an important checking balance, it does mean that Southern Water cannot always invest in the way that we’d like in any 5-year period. Ultimately, it is a system that tries to balance the need for investment with the need to provide customers with value for money.
Southern Water CEO, Ian McAulay’s had recently been quoted in saying that: “There is a growing call to take action to reduce the frequency and impact of storm overflows. That is a task of scale and complexity and needs multi-sector collaboration and a join-up of policy to make it happen…”
What kind of collaborative efforts is he referring to?
One thing I would say is ensuring in the planning process that any new homes or businesses that are constructed are having water efficiency designed into them in the same way that energy efficiency is being implemented. This needs to happen even before the architect or developer gets their pen out, so to speak. By considering such methods as the use of greywater (i.e the water from your shower being reused to flush toilets for example), sustainable drainage, soakaway (under carports and driveways etc) and water butts - these simple but effective precautionary measures will mean less water ends up in our sewer system, which in turn has to come through our wastewater treatment works, and of course means more storm releases - which are used as a last resort measure to safeguard properties and businesses from flooding.
We also need more investment in the enhancement and enlargement of wetlands. We need to work with farmers to develop more effective ways for them to slow water down. And all of this requires collaborative assistance from Natural England and the Environment Agency as well. So there are a whole host of people we need to be working in conjunction with to reduce storm overflows.
Do you think there needs to be greater transparency or dialogue with the public?
Absolutely. We certainly take priority in being the most transparent utility company in the sector, and it is absolutely imperative that we continue to strive to be evermore open with the public. This is a key reason why we have developed interactive maps like Beachbuoy to keep the public informed and updated on water quality in more-or-less real time. In addition to this, we publish all flow and spill data, as well as release data on our website annually, and any reports we submit to the Environment Agency are then published on our webpages too.
It’s vital that the public have an understanding of what is happening and why. We encourage them to be more involved in the water cycle, and to be aware of the role that they play, as well as the crucial role water plays in our everyday lives.
We are really a water-stressed region; and if we’re going to have a resilient water future in this region then we need to be having a big conversation about how we think about water, how we use water, and how we get rid of water once we’ve finished using it.
How much responsibility falls on the company to educate the public on such matters?
We have a huge responsibility to inform and educate the public on this. Part of my role - when I’m not responding to calls or queries - is to put out press releases. In addition to making information readily accessible and regularly updated on our website, we are committed to educational talks in local schools, and engaging in regular dialogue with stakeholder groups like Surfers Against Sewage. It would be wrong to see us in an adversarial relationship with such groups like SAS. Whilst they challenge us and hold us to account on occasion, they play an instrumental role in educating the public about unflushables - and as such, we view them as some of our most educated and informed stakeholders, and we value their input.
How big of an issue is population growth and climate change?
Population growth and climate change are both having a monumental effect on what we do. Every time there is a new housing estate built that means more concrete, which leads to less places for the water to go, and of course then means more wastewater for us to treat.
Being that we are classed as statutory consultees, this means that developers are required by law to consult us before building. We must work with developers to ensure that there is sufficient capacity in our network to handle the new flows of wastewater. However, what we do not have the power to do is to veto any new development; meaning that if you pay the fee to connect to our network then we are legally obligated to provide the service. This can create challenges for us.
Finally, if last summer was any indicator then the intensity and the frequency of summer rain storms has certainly intensified - and this is obviously having a huge impact too.
How can the public, as well as local councils and governments work together with SW in order to implement change?
Be engaged with us. Whilst it’s the media’s job to hold us to account, it’s vital to understand too what the challenges are, and to work with us in order to find solutions. This was one of the key reasons why we have appointed a new task force; to make sure that we are doing what we need to do, that we’re being open and transparent about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it, and keeping people updated and informed. We desperately want people to become engaged and educated with the water cycle, and to take simple steps around the house in order to make it safer and more viable for everyone.
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Interview with Em Rose, Scientific Lead at Haeckels.
Would you mind telling us about your position at Haeckels, and what the role entails? What is it about the role that motivates you?
I'm the Scientific Lead at Haeckels, with a background in Environmental Science. Along with a product-focused side of the job, I also analyse and measure our environmental impact, as well as designing experiments and processes to measure and mitigate relevant environmental factors.
When harvesting local sea ingredients for your products, how mindful are you of disrupting the natural environment?
An understanding of responsible seaweeding is imperative to the practise, for example; avoiding harvesting young plants, avoiding over-harvesting during certain points in the reproductive cycle, and making sure seaweed harvesting is undertaken in the least impactful manner.
In your experience, with regards to seaweeding, what have been the major factors that can affect yield?
It depends largely on the species, but the major factors that influence seaweed growth are nutrient availability and light. Nutrient availability can be directly affected by sewage effluent and affect ecosystem stability.
How have the recent sewage discharges in the local waterways by Southern Water affected your work?
We've invested in water quality testing in line with Bathing Water Regulations in order to effectively communicate the relative safety of swimming water to people in the local area. As for seaweeding, we only take what we need and use a relatively small amount to create our extracts, all of which undergo rigorous microbiological testing, but we necessarily avoid harvesting after a discharge, so it can be disruptive.
How does a small company adapt to such a large-scale problem? Do you think the problem is getting worse?
I think the problem is getting worse, and will continue to get worse without adequate investment in capacity to deal with the increasing strain placed on our waste water systems by development and climate change. As for adaptation, I would imagine we are adapting much like anyone else and utilising our skills to be able to meaningfully address the issue alongside other relevant stakeholders in the town. I think that a meaningful response at scale, such as measuring local water quality, can be impactful alongside larger scale action such as the Surfers Against Sewage campaign.
What are your thoughts on the recent government bill passed?
I think that the recent government bill passed is a good start, but time will tell whether it is enough to address the issues.
What would you like to see change with regards to the issue with Southern Water and pollution levels on our local beaches?
I would like to see meaningful and adequate investment in water treatment facilities and their maintenance, rather than the current habit of paying-to-pollute and failing to provide necessary infrastructure to deal with waste water.
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Interview with Alanna McGill-Tagg, co-organiser of Rise Up. Clean Up. Margate
Would you mind sharing a little about yourself? What does a typical day for you look like? What is it about Margate that you love most?
There is no typical day for me - I have 2 kids, the eldest is 4 and has just started school at Holy Trinity and St Johns and the youngest is 1 and is at Manor House nursery. My days are busy - busier than when I worked in advertising. Between the kids and house (i.e. constant tidying, laundry, playing, bathing, play dates, parks, cooking, cleaning, shopping etc) I co-run Rise Up. Clean Up. Margate, a community group aimed at addressing Margate’s litter problem and protecting the ocean.
The thing about Margate that I love most is the sea…a walk on the beach or a swim on the beach to clear my head, to think, process, or to stop my over active mind for a short while. I love watching my kids grow closer to nature than we were in London. I love seeing the horizon.
How would you describe your relationship with the ocean and the local beaches?
I love sea swimming but am also properly scared of being dragged under the water. So night swimming tends to be somewhat more of a dip!
I find sea swimming transformative. Regenerative even. Especially in the colder water. I often don't want to go, but yet i do. Kind of like a tattoo - it's painful but in a good way.
How has Southern Water’s sewage mismanagement and the subsequent closure of local beaches affected you personally?
Personally, it's stopped me swimming when i need to, and made me cynical when I am swimming that it's not as clean as it should be. It makes me furious at the injustice…that sewage being pumped into the ocean is actually by design! Something in that makes my blood boil.
What are your thoughts on the recent bill passed and the government u-turn over the sewage amendment? Do you think this will have any impact on pollution reduction?
I think the only way to for this to change is for the government to enforce it.
I don’t fully blame Southern Water. They are particularly dubious, but ultimately, i do understand that they are a profit making organisation operating. Morally I don’t agree with profit before people or planet. But they are not being judged on environmental merit by their board. I think the government 100% need to step in to protect the planet and people.
What would you like to see change with regards to pollution and sewage mismanagement on our local beaches?
I'd like sewage to not be pumped into the ocean. Or the rivers.
I'd like to find a new design, a new system, that leaves the ocean alone. I'd like significantly bigger fines and I'd like more research to be done on the impact that it's had so far - and if necessary for retrospective fines put in place to finance the protection and restoration of the ocean and it's life.
Would you like to add any final thoughts or ideas to the discussion?
Simply to say that it is quite surreal for this to be a genuine conversation. WTAF?
Yeah, stop pumping sewage into the sea. It’s so obviously wrong that it's hard to understand how this is happening.
