"Shocking" pollution claims in St Aubin's Bay

Thursday 29 September 2016

Environmentalists are claiming up to 18 million gallons of "effluent" - effectively, treated sewage - is dumped onto St Aubin's beach a day at First Tower.

SOS Jersey (SOSJ) have called for urgent action to stop the practice which they say is the reason why St Aubin's beach is smothered in seaweed during the summer months.

SOSJ say their study has revealed high levels of nitrates, nitrites and ammonia near the Bellozanne outflow, having spent the summer inspecting water pollution.

But Infrastructure Minister Eddie Noel dismissed their claims this morning and said SOSJ had not even shown him, or the Environment Department, the courtesy of sending their report. 

He said: "This is not effluent we are talking about, but treated water. It has got levels of nitrates and ammonia in it, but so has the water which comes off our fields in Jersey and goes into the sea, via the beach. We are currently building a replacement sewage treatment works as we recognise Bellozanne is becoming obsolete and we are £16million into a £55million project.

"The fact is, this is treated water, 18 million gallons of it a day, because that is what the population of Jersey produces. That is a simple fact."

However, SOSJ have issued a report today calling for “urgent action” to be taken. 

It reads: “We have come across high levels of nitrates, nitrites and ammonia, nearly all coming from the Bellozanne outflow at First Tower, which discharges 18 million gallons of effluent daily on to the shallow, sloping, south-facing beach. 

“For many years, the Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has exceeded permitted discharge consent levels for Total Nitrogen (TN) into St Aubin’s Bay and continues to do so. 

“DfI have brushed aside two statutory cautions served on it by the Environmental Regulator and are backed by the Attorney General who has ruled that ‘prosecuting the Department would not be in the public interest', allowing its continuance until the construction of a new sewage works which is planned to take approximately three years once agreed and approved. 

“WCA Consultants reported to the States of Jersey in July 2013, ‘The primary point source of this nutrient enrichment is the Bellozanne sewage treatment works effluent, which discharges into the bay.’”

The report added: “We were shocked at the high levels of ammonia present in the Bellozanne outflow at First Tower, which discharges over 18 million gallons of nutrient-rich effluent onto the beach daily. In fact, we have found the TN values from the plant constantly exceed by 3-6 times the permitted 10mg/l limit. 

“Following repeated attempts over a six-week period to confirm our findings with the DfI, we were eventually granted an audience with DfI Minister Deputy Noel and his officers, who maintain the nitrates causing the sea lettuce problem originate from France. Having studied their 2013 Cascade report, consulted other experts, and validated our recent tests with the States Analyst, we do not agree. 

“We conclude the sea lettuce will continue to bloom when critical factors come together, the catalyst being the discharges at First Tower. A new sewage treatment plant will help alleviate the problem but, given our current population growth (for which the States have no policy) only for a few years. 

“We suggest that it is only by reducing nitrates at source and in the bay, using a range of strategies including those that we have previously advocated, that the problem will be alleviated. To divert blame on the French does nothing to solve the problem. 

“If Jersey is to remain a pleasant environment in which to live, for tourists to visit, and if our fragile ecosystem is not to be further eroded, urgent action must be taken.”