Sewage is a Guernsey today issue, not one for Guernsey tomorrow!

Clean water campaigners, Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) are renewing calls for a full sewage treatment policy to be agreed by Deputies at this week's States of Guernsey meeting.

SAS are concerned that if the States fail to make plans to introduce full sewage treatment in the coming months then key environmental issues like sewage could be pushed into the recently launched 'Guernsey Tomorrow' planning process and remain undecided for years to come.

The summer of 2008 will be one etched into islanders' memories for its beach closures due to raw sewage pollution incidents. It was an event that even Public Services officials described as a 'doomsday scenario' and ultimately could hit the islands tourist industry hard.

SAS are for the first time releasing aerial images received over the summer that highlight the visibility of the island's raw sewage plume. The effluent can clearly be seen from the windows of an arriving aircraft and would have done little to encourage visitors to use the islands coastal water for bathing or recreation. With all Guernsey's sewage discharged raw to sea here every day, this view will be Guernsey's first impression or last glimpse for many visitors.

SAS are disappointed that proposals released in the November 2008 Billet D'Etat will do little to prevent a summer like last year's happening all over again and then being repeated year after year unless the States opt for advanced sewage treatment.

What is concerning for SAS is the limited improvements and timetable that Public Services are currently working too. This week £3 million will be requested by Public Services to help fund the refurbishment of Bellegreve Main Pumping Station and develop plans for outfall refurbishment.

The Phase III refurbishment of Bellgreve's Main Pumping Station is set for completion in Autumn 2009. This suggests another wet summer could see the sewerage infrastructure swamped and so there is a distinct possibility of further high profile pollution incidents occurring. Public Services will also be reliant on using the Red Lion auxiliary outfall for excess wastewater flows. This outfall is only 400m long, was built in 1900 and so sewage pollution could be much more visible from the shoreline.

Phase IV completion on refurbishment of both the outfalls (Bellegreve and Red Lion) may not be complete until 2010.

It seems that Public Services will then go back to the States to ask for further capital expenditure for Phase V - which is modernising the inadequate preliminary treatment process. NOT UPDATING - only improvements to infrastructure. This will not improve water quality, as it still discharges sewage raw but would only improve the infrastructure used to 'pump and dump' it in the Little Russel. This could take until 2012 with the whole process costing nearly £17 million, but critically with no improvement to water quality!

Clearly there is funding difficulties for a new sewage plant, but it an essential part of any community to be able to deal responsibly with their waste and in a way that does not harm the environment.

SAS believe the introduction of a wastewater charge for islanders is necessary and a step that would allow for the investment required to fully treat sewage and consign pollution incidents to the scrapheap. Wastewater charges are common practice in many countries, including the UK and have delivered many cleaner and safer water environments and would add value to the island.

In October 2007, the States approved in principle the introduction of wastewater charges and SAS were buoyed by Public Services suggestion that their introduction would be a suitable funding mechanism that should be used to advance provision of wastewater treatment facilities.

SAS urges the paper that finalises wastewater charges to be brought before the States at the December States meeting. Their introduction to Guernsey should be agreed, adopted and a policy statement made that commits the States to then introducing 'full sewage treatment' by an agreed date in the short to medium term.

Andy Cummins, SAS Campaigns Manager says: "It's vital that discussions this week and for the remainder of the year help set in motion a full sewage treatment policy. We believe the introduction of a wastewater charge would allow sewage treatment to be fast tracked and not consigned to the holding bay that is the 'Guernsey Tomorrow' project. Sewage treatment is one of those decisions that can't be put off for tomorrow as it NEEDS solving today".

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