Guernsey's Doctor Loo

The Problem

Guernsey discharges all its sewage raw to sea everyday. Through 3 outfalls positioned on the east and south coasts 65,000 people's sewage is discharged. The main outfall at Bellegreve discharges the bulk of this through a long sea outfall into the Little Russel, just to the north of St Peter Port.

Guernsey is hugely popular for recreational watersports and has well established, sailing, surfing, windsurfing and rowing clubs. The island's tourist body actively promotes the beaches and watersports available in Guernsey as a selling point yet water quality on the island can be very poor at times. Studies show that Guernsey's main discharge at Bellegreve creates a plume that moves anti-clockwise around the island with tidal flow. Because there is no treatment of the sewage, bacteria and viruses can survive in that effluent plume for many days, sometimes weeks and so this represents a huge health threat to those using the water for bathing and recreation.

The Solution

Guernsey's sewage should be fully treated before it is discharged to sea. Neighbouring Channel Island Jersey has a UV disinfection treatment plant that has been fully treating the island's sewage since the early 90's. This move has helped make the island a hugely popular tourist resort using its 'clean and safe water' as a key selling point.

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