Agenda item

The Environment and Leisure Working Group reached out to Southern Water and invited them to this meeting to answer a number of questions that have been submitted. Representatives from Southern Water will be attending this meeting and providing detailed answers.

The Director of Place introduced the representatives from Southern Water, Dr Toby Willison Director of Environment & Corporate Affairs, Tom Gallagher Bathing Water Manager, Richard Bagwell Stakeholder Manager for Sussex and Charlotte Mayall Regional Planning Lead for Hampshire & West Sussex, and invited them to give their presentation.

Members then took part in a question and answer session, where the following questions were raised:

·         It was stated that the Environment Agency had given Southern Water a 1 star rating in October for their performance in 2019, and it was asked whether Southern Water felt that they were meeting the needs of Arun. Southern Water’s Director of Environment & Corporate Affairs acknowledged this and said there had been a significant programme of investments, re-training and re-engineering, and they were confident they would not be rated 1 star again this year.

·         Clarification was requested around Combined Sewer Overflows (CSO) and Asset Maintenance Programme (AMP). An explanation of these terms was given by Southern Water’s Director of Environment & Corporate Affairs.

·         It was felt that Southern Water seemed to be really trying, and it was hoped that in a couple of years the impact of this would be felt.

·         A member asked whether programmes can be extended to cover run-off from roads.

·         It was raised that Pagham Waste Water Treatment Plant was currently undergoing work that won’t be completed until 2025, and it was asked whether a stop should be put on any development there until this was complete.

·         It was asked whether there was a policy within Southern Water to move towards community groups getting involved with sites around the districts, and whether there were any plans for a national emergency phone number to report leaks.

·         A question was asked around flooding and what steps Southern Water took to monitor ground water table and water table rises. Southern Water’s Bathing Water Manager confirmed that this was monitored by Southern Water and that they worked with landowners and farmers on this.

It was asked that Southern Water provide written answers, to be sent to the Chairman and all members of the council, to the following questions:

·         Of the 6 wastewater areas in the South, Southern Water had mentioned 3, please could they provide the names of the other 3

·         Could a breakdown be provided of the investment in wastewater assets and transformation programmes?

·         Could Southern Water provide clarification regarding surface water connections to sewage networks, as it was thought this was now unlawful, and that rainwater must now be separated from sewage water.

·         It was noted that Pagham had previously failed bathing water standards due to high nitrate levels, and that when a meeting was set up to discuss this with farmers, this coincided with harvest so farmers were unable to attend. Had another meeting had been arranged with farmers to address this?

It was asked how Southern Water dealt with criminal conduct within their company. An answer was provided by Southern Water’s Director of Environment & Corporate Affairs.

It was asked whether Southern Water were happy with Arun as a council and the conditions set as Planning Consents, or whether there was anything that Arun could do better? It was agreed that Southern Water’s Director of Environment & Corporate Affairs would attend a future meeting to further discuss this matter.

The Chairman thanked the representatives from Southern Water and the presentation was noted by members.