Bob Seely met with representatives from the Environment Agency in Ventnor last week to hear more about their work to monitor the quality of the Island’s bathing waters.
Explaining the process and findings on social media, Seely explained how the tester stands about a metre into the water and takes a sample about 30cm under the surface, which is then sent to the lab for analysis.
Based on all the samples from the last 4 years, Ventnor is classed as ‘excellent’ – the highest standard it can achieve.
The Environment Agency take water samples from Island beaches 20 times a year between May and September but Seely acknowledges that there is an argument that the agency should be doing it all year round, which he says he will be discussing with them further.
There are 15 Island beaches where water is tested by the agency – Compton, Totland and Colwell Bays, Gurnard, Cowes, East Cowes, Ryde, Seagrove, St Helens, Bembridge, Whitecliff Bay, Yaverland, Sandown, Shanklin and Ventnor. All are rated excellent this year (the highest standard) apart from Ryde and Gurnard which are rated good.
However, on Saturday – when many bathers took advantage of the good weather – every monitored beach with the exception of Compton Bay had a sewage pollution alert in place, according to the map maintained by campaign group Surfers Against Sewage.
In Ventnor, they recorded a sewage discharge at 06:30 last Friday (18th August) – shortly after the Environment Agency conducted their testing. Southern Water is responsible for this discharge.
However, Seely – a keen swimmer – maintains that there is cause for optimism.
Bob has said:
“There has been a sea change in sewage treatment in the last 2 decades. Almost all sewage is now treated. Up to the late 1990s around half of household sewage went straight out to sea without treatment. In 2010 less than 10% of storm overflows were monitored. From next year 100% of storm overflows will be.
“In addition, we’ve persuaded Southern Water to make the Island a national example of best practice. This is being done by improving pumping stations, redesigning road drainage, re-plumbing parts of the system and providing slow-release water butts to residents in key areas.
“This work is ongoing. The waterbutts have been offered so far in Havenstreet, Gurnard and East Cowes. Some road drainage works will be started in Newport in the autumn. Pipework and pumping station improvements have been happening over the past few months and will continue to do so.”
At the time of writing, there are now no sewage pollution alerts in place on monitored Island beaches.
Would it be a good test of government commitment to environmental policy to suspend an MP (suggestions, please) head-down in the effluent?
The water quality in Sunderland was “excellent”, but 57 sea swimming contestants got diarrhoea. Seems like “excellent” isn’t safe.
“In Ventnor, they recorded a sewage discharge at 06:30 last Friday (18th August) – shortly after the Environment Agency conducted their testing. Southern Water is responsible for this discharge.”
They knew when the testing was being done and then chose to discharge after, showing utter contempt for the people. All enabled by the Tories. Bob puts on a good show but it’s all just hot air as long as he gets to still feed at the trough.
anyone who wants to take a stand google boycott water bills .com
I wasn’t aware that Bob was an expert on water quality, probably because he isn’t. Shut up Bob. Nobody wants to see your slimy face. We hear nothing from him for years but now an election is looming he hangs around the island sticking his nose in trying to get some publicity at any opportunity.
Apparently he is an expert on ‘lockdowns’ and the ‘Savannah cat trade’. Neither of which make any difference to my life on the Island.
He says little about ferry prices, healthcare, or employment opportunities.
The Tory way! You can’t actually expect them to improve our Island?
But I’ll vote for them anyway, I always have, always will. Doesn’t matter what they do to us.
It would just be easier if we actally passed a law making it illegal for any storm water discharge and or overflow discharge water to be pumped directly into any body of water without full treatment. These water companies have the finances to ‘invest’ in larger WwTW plants but they don’t. I saw a thing about Thames Water being financially insecure…how is that possible. They have a monopoly on water, it is just poor management. The government need to step up their game. I’m tired of playground polictics which lead to no change. I don’t believe anyone in politics is in it for others, change my mind…I’d like you to. Just fed up at this point.
The problem is that water companies do not invest: “During the financial year 2021/2022, the main water companies in the UK paid out almost 966 million British pounds of dividends to their shareholders.” They should be compelled to use this money to fix their crumbling infrastructure rather than asking for government handouts. Ofwat is not fit for purpose.
Bob be careful if you take a swim in the water now, you may well find more than half a sausage floating around you. Bob is a waste of space, always tries to look good, but at the end of the day he is just desperate to get in next time around, and as we know, no chance at all.
if you want to take a stance about the sewage discharges google boycott water bills .com
Shame he didn’t go in. We may have seen another turd floating by.
Maybe Bobby’s next Barbeque location.
Get the MP away or there’s just going to be bullshit mixed in with the discharge
Look at the railings ! Save the Ventnor Railings Bob !