by Jay Cowen
Statement on South West Water's waste water proposal
Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust is very concerned about the impacts of continued sewage disposal at sea off Scilly. We are determined that the vital South West Water investment programme addresses this pollution whilst improving the sustainability of the islands.
At present, South West Water is proposing a pipe under the seabed from Porth Minick, taking sewerage from a new screening plant near Old Town, which will discharge screened but otherwise untreated sewage 450 metres offshore. Getting a screening plant in place on St Mary’s (to remove non-biological solids from waste water) is long overdue. However, this proposal for sewage discharge into a pristine area of a designated Marine Conservation Zone is unacceptable to Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust.
Whilst IoSWT understand the constraints of waste water management in an island setting, we would like to see a solution with sewage treatment on the islands. Should the regulators and industry judge that there are greater environmental costs of treatment and shipping sludge off Scilly than disposal of screened sewage at sea, then we wish to see the justification to this argument.
Isles of Scilly Wildlife Trust has a good working relationship with South West Water. We will continue our dialogue with them on this important issue. This investment in our waste water is vital for the future of our islands and the seas around us. It is essential that the solution chosen is the least harmful to our marine environment and wildlife.