Submitted by Councillor Babarinde
“This Council notes that:
1. Southern Water has discharged untreated wastewater (raw sewage) into the sea in Eastbourne 20 times in the last year.
2. Southern Water was fined £90 million in 2021 for dumping raw sewage into the sea, after pleading guilty to 6,971 unpermitted sewage discharges.
3. Southern Water conducted a severe raw sewage dump on the Eastbourne coast for more than 17 hours on Saturday 5 February 2022.
4. The 5 February dump was caused by an electrical fault at the Southern Water Treatment Plant. No back-up system was in place and this could not be rectified until a portable generator was brought on to the site.
5. Clean Eastbourne sea is critical to Eastbourne’s tourism economy, the quality of our coastal environment, and to the enjoyment and fitness of local swimming groups and residents.
6. Southern Water made a profit £139 million last year.
This Council calls on:
1. Southern Water to swiftly complete a full and transparent investigation into the 5 February Eastbourne discharge, and its raw sewage dumping more generally.
2. Southern Water to take robust action to prevent such discharges from reoccurring in Eastbourne and elsewhere, including the deployment of a permanent on-site back-up generator at the Eastbourne Water Treatment Plant.
3. Southern Water to take responsibility for such discharges in Eastbourne and apologise to Eastbourne residents, businesses and visitors.
4. The Government to introduce a ‘Sewage Tax’ on water companies’ profits to begin compensating for their discharges, and to help fund a cleaner sea.”
Minutes:
Councillor Babarinde moved and Councillor Tutt seconded the following motion as set out in the agenda papers:
“This Council notes that:
1. Southern Water has discharged untreated wastewater (raw sewage) into the sea in Eastbourne 20 times in the last year.
2. Southern Water was fined £90 million in 2021 for dumping raw sewage into the sea, after pleading guilty to 6,971 unpermitted sewage discharges.
3. Southern Water conducted a severe raw sewage dump on the Eastbourne coast for more than 17 hours on Saturday 5 February 2022.
4. The 5 February dump was caused by an electrical fault at the Southern Water Treatment Plant. No back-up system was in place and this could not be rectified until a portable generator was brought on to the site.
5. A clean Eastbourne sea is critical to Eastbourne’s tourism economy, the quality of our coastal environment, and to the enjoyment and fitness of local swimming groups and residents.
6. Southern Water made a profit £139 million last year.
This Council calls on:
1. Southern Water to swiftly complete a full and transparent investigation into the 5 February Eastbourne discharge, and their raw sewage dumping more generally.
2. Southern Water to take robust action to prevent such discharges from reoccurring in Eastbourne and elsewhere, including the deployment of a permanent on-site back-up generator at the Eastbourne Water Treatment Plant.
3. Southern Water to take responsibility for such discharges in Eastbourne and apologise to Eastbourne residents, businesses and visitors.
4. The Government to introduce a ‘Sewage Tax’ on water companies’ profits to begin compensating for their discharges, and to help fund cleaner sea.”
Councillor di Cara moved an amendment to the motion:
· To amend item 1 under ‘the Council notes that’ to replace 20 with 18 times, for accuracy.
· To delete recommendation 4 under ‘The Council calls on’, to remove reference to a Sewage Tax.
Ray Blount (Sea Swimmers Group) and Carolyn Heaps (Silver Dippers Group) spoke as public speakers in relation to this item.
The Council debated the motion and the amendment.
The amendment was put to a vote by a show of hands and declared lost by 9 votes to 17.
The original motion was put to the vote by show of hands and declared carried by 17 votes to 8, with 1 abstention.
RESOLVED (by 17 to 8 votes, with 1 abstention):
A. That this Council notes that:
1. Southern Water has discharged untreated wastewater (raw sewage) into the sea in Eastbourne 20 times in the last year.
2. Southern Water was fined £90 million in 2021 for dumping raw sewage into the sea, after pleading guilty to 6,971 unpermitted sewage discharges.
3. Southern Water conducted a severe raw sewage dump on the Eastbourne coast for more than 17 hours on Saturday 5 February 2022.
4. The 5 February dump was caused by an electrical fault at the Southern Water Treatment Plant. No back-up system was in place and this could not be rectified until a portable generator was brought on to the site.
5. A clean Eastbourne sea is critical to Eastbourne’s tourism economy, the quality of our coastal environment, and to the enjoyment and fitness of local swimming groups and residents.
6. Southern Water made a profit £139 million last year.
B. That this Council calls on:
1. Southern Water to swiftly complete a full and transparent investigation into the 5 February Eastbourne discharge, and their raw sewage dumping more generally.
2. Southern Water to take robust action to prevent such discharges from reoccurring in Eastbourne and elsewhere, including the deployment of a permanent on-site back-up generator at the Eastbourne Water Treatment Plant.
3. Southern Water to take responsibility for such discharges in Eastbourne and apologise to Eastbourne residents, businesses and visitors.
4. The Government to introduce a ‘Sewage Tax’ on water companies’ profits to begin compensating for their discharges, and to help fund cleaner sea.