Water Quality In Chichester Harbour

[Mark Taylor]

Dear LCRC Members,

On 27 March, as your rep on pollution and water quality, I attended a Chichester Harbour Federation talk on Water quality in Chichester Harbour. The talk was given by Richard Craven (Chichester Harbour Conservancy Harbour Master).

In summary, I can report the following:-

Richard was presenting data on water quality in Chichester Harbour in respect of bacteria and nitrates. He represents the Conservancy, not Southern Water. The general position is that water quality  is  good to very good. . Water is monitored for these pollutants monthly, throughout the year at various locations around Chichester Harbour. Water is monitored by Natural England and The Environment Agency. Bacteria such as E.coli are monitored in these samples.

Unlike bathing beaches, Chichester Harbour is an enclosed area with farm land and housing contributing to nitrates via land run-off. However, the water quality in the Harbour is generally on a par with bathing beaches.

However, the fly in the ointments is when we have high level rainfall, storm discharges take place at the sewage treatments works and raw sewerage is then discharged. During such very high rain fall, a period of 72 hours should be enough for tidal activity to cleanse the harbour.

Southern Water have installed an ultraviolet light  disinfecting system  to reduce bacteria in storm water discharges at Appledram sewage works.  This has been in place since 2007.  

Water monitoring takes place at set locations throughout the harbour. The closest monitoring point to Langstone is Emsworth Jetty, however, no monitoring takes place  at the top of Langstone channel. This is because Chichester Harbour does this pollution monitoring in partnership with Chichester District Council, not Havant Council.  I raised the question with  Richard Craven if  Chichester Council could extend  their  monthly monitoring to Langstone. Richard agreed to make this request.

Southern water discharge some sewage up country into the Lavant from villages like East Dean. This is then discharged via the water course and bypasses the treatment works.

When storm discharges take place in the harbour, the Chichester/Bosham/Thorney half of the harbour is affected much more than the Emsworth/Langstone half.

In addition to nitrates and bacteria, Richard gave some background on other aspects of environmental issues affecting the harbour:-

1. Man-made climate change is going to cause increased heavy rain fall which will cause storm-discharges to take place on an increasing basis.  Note: 50 % of all industrial CO2 produced by man since start of industrial revolution has been released since 1989.

2. Increasing amounts of micro plastics and microfibres along with lots of GRP fibres found in oyster population. Study by universities of  Brighton Portsmouth, LeHavre and Caen are looking to see if this is the cause of reduction of oyster populations since the 1990s.

3. Increasing amounts of mercury and  fire retardant chemicals are being detected by Environment Agency. Not sure of source.

4. 58 % of the harbour's salt marsh, sea grass lost since 1946.

There are a lot of well meaning but poorly informed people and pressure groups that are stating that Chichester Harbour's water quality is poor, when in fact it is not. Many reports are received by The Conservancy of dirty scummy water reported as sewage, when in fact it is seasonal algae bloom.

If we can commence monitoring of water conditions at the top of Langstone Channel near the bridges, as I requested, we might find the influence of Southern Water's Budds Farm treatment plant in Langstone Harbour may adversely affect Chichester Harbour's overall water quality results.

I will follow this up and report back when I hear more.

[Mike Gilbert]

Mark, thanks for attending and reporting so clearly...

Mike

On Sat, 27 Mar 2021, 17:11 Mark Taylor [via Langstone Cutters RC], <[hidden email]> wrote:

Dear LCRC Members,

On 27 March, as your rep on pollution and water quality, I attended a Chichester Harbour Federation talk on Water quality in Chichester Harbour. The talk was given by Richard Craven (Chichester Harbour Conservancy Harbour Master).

In summary, I can report the following:-

Richard was presenting data on water quality in Chichester Harbour in respect of bacteria and nitrates. He represents the Conservancy, not Southern Water. The general position is that water quality  is  good to very good. . Water is monitored for these pollutants monthly, throughout the year at various locations around Chichester Harbour. Water is monitored by Natural England and The Environment Agency. Bacteria such as E.coli are monitored in these samples.

Unlike bathing beaches, Chichester Harbour is an enclosed area with farm land and housing contributing to nitrates via land run-off. However, the water quality in the Harbour is generally on a par with bathing beaches.

However, the fly in the ointments is when we have high level rainfall, storm discharges take place at the sewage treatments works and raw sewerage is then discharged. During such very high rain fall, a period of 72 hours should be enough for tidal activity to cleanse the harbour.

Southern Water have installed an ultraviolet light  disinfecting system  to reduce bacteria in storm water discharges at Appledram sewage works.  This has been in place since 2007.  

Water monitoring takes place at set locations throughout the harbour. The closest monitoring point to Langstone is Emsworth Jetty, however, no monitoring takes place  at the top of Langstone channel. This is because Chichester Harbour does this pollution monitoring in partnership with Chichester District Council, not Havant Council.  I raised the question with  Richard Craven if  Chichester Council could extend  their  monthly monitoring to Langstone. Richard agreed to make this request.

Southern water discharge some sewage up country into the Lavant from villages like East Dean. This is then discharged via the water course and bypasses the treatment works.

When storm discharges take place in the harbour, the Chichester/Bosham/Thorney half of the harbour is affected much more than the Emsworth/Langstone half.

In addition to nitrates and bacteria, Richard gave some background on other aspects of environmental issues affecting the harbour:-

1. Man-made climate change is going to cause increased heavy rain fall which will cause storm-discharges to take place on an increasing basis.  Note: 50 % of all industrial CO2 produced by man since start of industrial revolution has been released since 1989.

2. Increasing amounts of micro plastics and microfibres along with lots of GRP fibres found in oyster population. Study by universities of  Brighton Portsmouth, LeHavre and Caen are looking to see if this is the cause of reduction of oyster populations since the 1990s.

3. Increasing amounts of mercury and  fire retardant chemicals are being detected by Environment Agency. Not sure of source.

4. 58 % of the harbour's salt marsh, sea grass lost since 1946.

There are a lot of well meaning but poorly informed people and pressure groups that are stating that Chichester Harbour's water quality is poor, when in fact it is not. Many reports are received by The Conservancy of dirty scummy water reported as sewage, when in fact it is seasonal algae bloom.

If we can commence monitoring of water conditions at the top of Langstone Channel near the bridges, as I requested, we might find the influence of Southern Water's Budds Farm treatment plant in Langstone Harbour may adversely affect Chichester Harbour's overall water quality results.

I will follow this up and report back when I hear more.

Mark Taylor
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Mobile [phone]
Email [hidden email]

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[michael]

Mark, Thanks for the latest news.

However

Southern Water has said stopping all storm/sewage releases would require a change in the law and very large investment. Their shareholder payments would lead us to believe some of this expenditure could come from our current payments.

Perhaps with the growth in new housing requirements a law that says building can only occur if the sewage capacity is available as is current in most developed countries.

300 new homes in Bosham, 200 on Hayling Island, 4000 on Portsmouth Peninsula all of which will discharge into waters affecting our harbours.

Budds farm outlet in Langstone is a 2m diameter pipe and in Feb this year discharged for 9 days continuously, this by Southern Waters standards contains at least 3% untreated human waste. Not even like the partial UV treatment at Apuldram. Southern Water had 190 days of discharge into our harbours in 2020.

Samples taken in the harbour on 13 Jan 2021 show high levels of Ecoli and Enterococci at three test sites including Dell Quay and Emsworth. Or as the report states “failures”.

I believe the Federation of which our club is now a member has recently stated the “Status Quo” is not acceptable.

Do not forget the discharges occur during incoming as well as outgoing tides. Our boat swings on a mooring at the end of Sweare Deep and so I now realise how much water comes into Chichester Harbour under the Langstone Bridge after passing the Budds Farm outlet.

There are some interesting computer graphics produced by SW of how this waste moves around the harbour and the Solent, as let us not forget there is a discharge pipe in the Solent so all that tidal flushing we would like to believe is occurring may just be more contaminants moving around.

This is not just Faecal Coliform but also pharmaceuticals and already low sperm count in some harbour species is being investigated.

Whatever the test results having 3% acknowledged raw sewage in our harbours is not acceptable in this day and age

Michael (Rower, kayaker, paddleboarder and occasional accidental swimmer)

Virus-free. www.avg.com

On Sat, Mar 27, 2021 at 5:11 PM Mark Taylor [via Langstone Cutters RC] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Dear LCRC Members,

On 27 March, as your rep on pollution and water quality, I attended a Chichester Harbour Federation talk on Water quality in Chichester Harbour. The talk was given by Richard Craven (Chichester Harbour Conservancy Harbour Master).

In summary, I can report the following:-

Richard was presenting data on water quality in Chichester Harbour in respect of bacteria and nitrates. He represents the Conservancy, not Southern Water. The general position is that water quality  is  good to very good. . Water is monitored for these pollutants monthly, throughout the year at various locations around Chichester Harbour. Water is monitored by Natural England and The Environment Agency. Bacteria such as E.coli are monitored in these samples.

Unlike bathing beaches, Chichester Harbour is an enclosed area with farm land and housing contributing to nitrates via land run-off. However, the water quality in the Harbour is generally on a par with bathing beaches.

However, the fly in the ointments is when we have high level rainfall, storm discharges take place at the sewage treatments works and raw sewerage is then discharged. During such very high rain fall, a period of 72 hours should be enough for tidal activity to cleanse the harbour.

Southern Water have installed an ultraviolet light  disinfecting system  to reduce bacteria in storm water discharges at Appledram sewage works.  This has been in place since 2007.  

Water monitoring takes place at set locations throughout the harbour. The closest monitoring point to Langstone is Emsworth Jetty, however, no monitoring takes place  at the top of Langstone channel. This is because Chichester Harbour does this pollution monitoring in partnership with Chichester District Council, not Havant Council.  I raised the question with  Richard Craven if  Chichester Council could extend  their  monthly monitoring to Langstone. Richard agreed to make this request.

Southern water discharge some sewage up country into the Lavant from villages like East Dean. This is then discharged via the water course and bypasses the treatment works.

When storm discharges take place in the harbour, the Chichester/Bosham/Thorney half of the harbour is affected much more than the Emsworth/Langstone half.

In addition to nitrates and bacteria, Richard gave some background on other aspects of environmental issues affecting the harbour:-

1. Man-made climate change is going to cause increased heavy rain fall which will cause storm-discharges to take place on an increasing basis.  Note: 50 % of all industrial CO2 produced by man since start of industrial revolution has been released since 1989.

2. Increasing amounts of micro plastics and microfibres along with lots of GRP fibres found in oyster population. Study by universities of  Brighton Portsmouth, LeHavre and Caen are looking to see if this is the cause of reduction of oyster populations since the 1990s.

3. Increasing amounts of mercury and  fire retardant chemicals are being detected by Environment Agency. Not sure of source.

4. 58 % of the harbour's salt marsh, sea grass lost since 1946.

There are a lot of well meaning but poorly informed people and pressure groups that are stating that Chichester Harbour's water quality is poor, when in fact it is not. Many reports are received by The Conservancy of dirty scummy water reported as sewage, when in fact it is seasonal algae bloom.

If we can commence monitoring of water conditions at the top of Langstone Channel near the bridges, as I requested, we might find the influence of Southern Water's Budds Farm treatment plant in Langstone Harbour may adversely affect Chichester Harbour's overall water quality results.

I will follow this up and report back when I hear more.

Mark Taylor
Phone [phone]
Mobile [phone]
Email [hidden email]

---

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

http://langstone-cutters-rc.1095392.n5.nabble.com/Water-Quality-In-Chichester-Harbour-tp23452.html

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NAML

[Mark Taylor]

Michael, thank you for these very valid comments.

Please can I just emphasise, I was reporting in summary on what Richard Craven stated.

As harbour master, he has no control over Langston's harbour, where buds farm is located or the Solent where the main deep channel pipe is located.

I am very keen to start getting water quality measures on a monthly basis close to Langston's bridge. There is a federation meeting of all club pollution monitoring reps. This will take place on 7 April. I will reply back after that meeting.

Maybe, as harbour users, we need to campaign via our elected representatives in council and parliament to get Southern water to improve their act at their cost, not at the cost of the customers. The shareholder is not always king.

So with May elections forthcoming, if doorstepped by a campaigner, ask what their party's policy is on water treatment.

[michael]

Mark, 

Good news today (Telegraph) Dunne MP put forward a private bill re sewage and it has gained traction, things are looking up. Good news is hard to come by so thought I would let you know.

Michael

Virus-free. www.avg.com

On Sun, Mar 28, 2021 at 4:53 PM Mark Taylor [via Langstone Cutters RC] <[hidden email]> wrote:

Michael, thank you for these very valid comments.

Please can I just emphasise, I was reporting in summary on what Richard Craven stated.

As harbour master, he has no control over Langston's harbour, where buds farm is located or the Solent where the main deep channel pipe is located.

I am very keen to start getting water quality measures on a monthly basis close to Langston's bridge. There is a federation meeting of all club pollution monitoring reps. This will take place on 7 April. I will reply back after that meeting.

Maybe, as harbour users, we need to campaign via our elected representatives in council and parliament to get Southern water to improve their act at their cost, not at the cost of the customers. The shareholder is not always king.

So with May elections forthcoming, if doorstepped by a campaigner, ask what their parties policy is on water treatment.

Mark Taylor
Phone [phone]
Mobile [phone]
Email [hidden email]

---

If you reply to this email, your message will be added to the discussion below:

http://langstone-cutters-rc.1095392.n5.nabble.com/Water-Quality-In-Chichester-Harbour-tp23452p23465.html

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NAML