Southern Water is boosting its commitment to drive down the use of storm overflows on the Isle of Wight by expanding its nature-based and engineering solutions.
Following investment of £5million in pilot schemes proven to help reduce and slow the flow of surface water and sewage spills, Southern Water is providing slow drain water butts to over a 1,000 more houses on the Island.
The water company will also be ‘replumbing’ sewers where old piping is no longer fit for purpose or has been connected wrongly to the network.
This step forward on the Isle of Wight is part of our journey to drastically cutting storm overflows across the Southern Water region by 2030.
It comes after a hugely successful pilot in Havenstreet, where we trialled the use of slow draining water butts. Two thirds of customers approached took up the offer of a free installation, resulting in a 70% reduction in spills from the nearby storm overflow site, by controlling the amount of surface water reaching the ground at any one time.
Lawrence Gosden, Southern Water CEO, said:
“Reducing the use of storm overflows and their impact on water quality is a priority for me. If we are to significantly reduce their use, we need to get to the heart of the issue and reduce the amount of surface water entering the system.
“Following investment of £5m in our effective, catchment-based solutions, which have proven to help reduce and slow the flow of surface water and sewage spills by harnessing nature, we are providing the slow drain water butts to over a 1,000 more houses on the Isle of Wight and working to secure funding to scale the rollout of these solutions further.”
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Isle of Wight MP Bob Seely has worked closely with Southern Water on the island’s trials so far, he has said:
“Southern Water, along with other water firms, know that they need to raise their game. As a swimmer and an occasional sea swimmer, I share the anger at the pollution in our rivers and seas. A year ago, I approached Southern Water with the idea that they make the Island a leading example of national best practise to improve environmental standards. They agreed.
“Change will not happen overnight, and we need to remember that the majority of pollutants come from agricultural run-off and not sewage from storm overflow, but there is going to be a sea change in the coming years in improving the quality of rivers and beaches – and the beneficial impact it will have on wildlife and humans.
“I am delighted that the Isle of Wight is at the forefront of the change – all part of getting a better deal for the Island. I am speaking with Southern Water every month to ensure that change will be delivered.”
Truly a mere drop in the ocean.
The thousands of extra rooves, roads, pavements and garages and sheds which will cover acres of prime green fields when built over by Captiva and co, will flood thousand times the amount a water butt will hold ‘in seconds’.
Watch on a rainy day how quickly a butt fills up.
A gimmick only. As once the butt is full, next time it rains, then the water will flow into the drains as normal, as few use water from butts until Summer.
THINK
Yes a mere drop in the ocean and very much a gimmick.
I have water butts / tanks holding when full approx 4,500lt of rain water which I use for the garden, cleaning the car, house windows and when needed to replenish the pond, advantage of rain water for washing car etc is no water stains when finished.
During the winter months they are constantly full so any rain still goes straight down the drain, during the summer they are well used but it does not take long for them to refill when it does rain.
A gimmick.
If they are anything like my 4 (yes, 4) water butts, they are full from normal rainfall from November. Any rain that falls after that, obviously, goes straight down the drain.
As for Seely? If he is “[angry] at the pollution in our rivers and seas“, why did he vote against an amendment to force water companies to clean up their act?
Because he was told to and, like a good Tory Boy, he always votes how he’s told.
What the Island needs is a proper independent MP who will vote in the interests of the Island and its people without having to look over their shoulder at the party whips.
It’s quite a clever idea when you consider how much water a roof can collect. These slow release water butts could be quite the game changer. I’m wondering why every new house built isn’t required by law to have a device that slows the return of rain water. It could help prevent flooding too.
And I expect YOU think the mobile phone alert on St George’s day is for forest fires and flooding.
HMG are so lucky half the population are gullible.
The vast majority of storm run-off is due to rain flowing onto roads from upslopes and down storm drains! These butts will make a negligible difference. Just trying to distract us from the deliberate release of sewage into waterways and the sea by Southern Water.
So will SW be contacting householders regarding water butts? Hope so as I used all of mine in the summer last year and by the sounds of this will also be doing the same this year. Hopefully supply will be before the heatwave.
No. Try reading the article.
Southern Water
We take the p#ss but dump the cr#p
Think this is a great idea. Yes small step but added up over the country it would make a difference. I live in Havenstreet and have seen the difference with the water discharge. All for it, more water butts please. Really surprised by the negative comments.