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One million will be pumped into the local sewerage system over the next four years as it struggles to cope with increasing volumes of foul water and rain caused by rising population numbers and climate change.
Under the latest Government Plan, £250,000 will be allocated every year to the Infrastructure, Housing and Environment (IHE) Department over the next four years for the processing of liquid waste.
It comes as the department is struggling to meet the additional costs arising from the processing of the additional volume of foul surface water and sewage.
In recent years, the volume of foul water that needs to be pumped and processed has increased considerably.
There are currently 108 pumping stations in the island, through which the sewage and rainwater are transported from the source to the treatment plant in Bellozanne, where they are processed and ultimately safely disposed of.
The population which has increased on average by 1,000 people over the last 10 years, each producing on average 58,400 cubic metres of sewage a year, has partly driven the increase in foul water.
Pictured: The population has increased on average by 1,000 people over the last 10 years, each producing on average 58,400 cubic metres of sewage a year.
The number of homes connected to the mains and therefore needing the sewage to be removed has also increased. Currently 92% of homes are connected to the network.
Meanwhile, climate change has led to an increase in the volume of rainwater making its way into the foul pumping network and thus leading to higher costs, with rainfall increasing by 14.7%.
The Government Plan explains that the larger volumes having to be processed create higher demand on the pumping stations, which in turn leads to an increase in both maintenance and utility costs, whilst sudden large volumes due to substantial and continued rainfall result in additional pressure on the pumping stations as high volumes back up throughout parts of the system.
To avoid pollution incidents, the excess high-water influx is transported by tankers from the pumping stations, prioritising those which are both near capacity and in close proximity to either a natural water supply or coastal waters, direct to the sewage treatment works, which also carries an extra cost.
The additional funding aims to improve the long-term resilience of the pumping station network and protect against spills or pollution events in order to better protect the environment, the Government Plan argued.
In addition to the environmental benefits, the Government said the investment would also have economic ones, as it would help preserve the cleanliness of the island's beaches.
Pictured: "The effective management of liquid waste supports the island’s visitor economy by enabling the maintenance of... pleasant beaches."
They said: “Given the connection between the island’s sewage system and its beaches and marine environment, the effective management of liquid waste supports the island’s visitor economy by enabling the maintenance of the good quality water and pleasant beaches that are a key attraction for visitors to the island.”
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