Island sewage spills: Campaigners and water company urge collaboration

Both environmental campaigners and a water utility company have called for increased collaboration to enhance water quality and prevent sewage discharges. This appeal was made as Surfers Against Sewage and the Solent Protection Society participated alongside Southern Water at a public gathering held on the Isle of Wight. Data indicates that the Isle of Wight is responsible for 35% of the most severe Combined Sewage Overflow (CSO) incidents discharging into the Solent. Mike Rainey, representing the Solent Protection Society (SPS), stated that enhancing the island’s water infrastructure would involve “no quick fixes”. During the event, which took place at the Riverside Centre in Newport, the three participating organizations outlined their strategies for joint efforts towards long-term solutions. The SPS conducted an analysis of Environment Agency data concerning CSOs along the coastlines of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. This analysis revealed that discharge hours in 2023 escalated to over 112,000 hours, a significant rise from the approximate 40,000-hour average observed in each of the three preceding years. Among the locations most affected by discharge hours into the Solent were Ryde and Cowes. Mr. Rainey emphasized the necessity of “sustainable drainage.” He stated, “It is going to be collaborative, it’s going to take a long time – there are no quick fixes here.” He further elaborated, “We’re essentially dealing with a Victorian drainage system which now desperately needs another upgrade.” Regarding Southern Water, he commented, “[Southern Water] have good PR which always tell the good stories and the successes. We are in the position of being able to say ‘yes but…’ and ask the pertinent questions.” The island has also experienced significant flooding events, including over 100 properties in Ryde being inundated during intense rainfall in October 2023. Southern Water communicated its objective to decrease storm overflows by limiting the volume of water entering its system during periods of heavy rainfall. Its ‘Slow the Flow’ initiative encompasses measures such as installing water butts and promoting the replacement of impermeable driveways with more permeable alternatives. Discussions at the meeting also covered the company’s deployment of AI technology for monitoring CSOs and forecasting spills, alongside efforts to re-green urban environments to “sponge rainfall”. Keith Herbert of Southern Water stated, “We want to see the same thing as our campaigners – we want to see a better environment and we’ll work towards it with anyone who will work for us.” Chani Courtney, representing the environmental organization Surfers Against Sewage, expressed that individuals need to “feel powerful and part of the solution.” She added, “All opinions need to be heard. Whenever I’m invited, I like to collaborate with Southern Water.” Courtney further remarked, “They spend all of their working hours fixing the things I’m complaining about.” She concluded, “It switches from that anger, which is a necessary spark… I like backing it up with ‘here’s what you can do’.” Among the attendees, Des Wiltshire from Ryde conveyed his surprise at the apparent closeness between campaigners and the water company, describing it as “cosying up.” He commented, “A lot of points got a bit glossed over. It very much seemed like the problem was ours to deal with, rather than the big companies to pay for.” Open water swimmer Sylvia Clare expressed her “anger” regarding the quality of the island’s seawater. She stated, “It’s frustrating I can’t go to a certain beach because there’s been an outpouring.” Clare also emphasized, “There needs to be more public understanding and education about what we can all do to alleviate this huge problem.”