A new water treatment plant could cost up to £210 million if politicians press ahead with strict new PFAS limits, Jersey Water has warned.
In a submission to the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, the utility firm said meeting the proposed new drinking-water standard would require major infrastructure that does not currently exist in Jersey.
Early estimates suggest a new islandwide PFAS treatment facility could cost between £140 million and £210 million, according to Jersey Water.
The warning comes as States Members prepare to debate a proposition to introduce a statutory limit of four nanograms per litre of PFAS chemicals – one third of its current level – in drinking water by 1 January 2031.
Jersey Water said it supports the introduction of a clear PFAS standard but believes the proposition has been lodged before “essential scientific, financial and technical information is available”.
“This creates risks for government, Jersey Water and islanders,” it added.
“All of the work to date shows that consistently meeting 4ng/l will require major new infrastructure that does not currently exist in Jersey,” the company told the panel.
The firm stressed that the scale of the investment means it cannot fund the project itself, and warned that approving the new legal limit without identifying how the scheme will be paid for could leave the island with a regulatory requirement but no means of delivering it.
“If the proposition is approved without clear funding provisions, there is a risk that the standard will be in force, but the funding needed to meet it will not be available,” the submission states.
The financial consequences for customers could also be significant, with Jersey Water estimating that the cost of building and operating the new infrastructure could push water bills up by between 70% and 110%.
“Water in Jersey could become amongst the costliest in the world, challenging affordability and acceptability for islanders and businesses,” the company warned.
That could mean increases of 15% to 25% every year for the next five years, the company said, at a time when households and businesses are already facing cost-of-living pressures.
The utility also questioned whether the proposed timetable is realistic. The law would require compliance within just under five years, but Jersey Water said the work involved – including pilot trials, securing a site, planning permission, construction and commissioning – means a minimum of seven years is more realistic.
At the same time, the company emphasised that Jersey’s current drinking water remains safe and already meets existing UK and EU PFAS standards.
It pointed to the report by the Independent PFAS Scientific Advisory Panel, which said the proposed limit is primarily a “future-proofing” measure rather than a response to an immediate health risk.
Jersey Water chief executive Helier Smith said the company supports stronger regulation but urged politicians to ensure they understand the full consequences before committing the island to a project of this scale.
“Given the scale, cost and national importance of this project, it is essential that States Members have a complete understanding of the scientific, financial and operational implications before the new standard is approved,” he said.
