Trip to Bath for Wessex Water's Stakeholder Assembly

Yesterday I went to Bath for Wessex Water's Stakeholder Assembly - I have been Stroud District Council's representative for a number of years. In addition to an update on a whole range of Wessex Water's activities there was also a presentation by Jonathon Porritt (who is a non-executive Director of the company) plus new stakeholder groups which I am hopeful offer a greater chance for engagement.

Anyhow Porritt did not shy away from talking about the seriousness of the challenges ahead - in particular how politicians seem to be failing us and unable to take the steps that are needed - it seems that it is only some businesses and civil society that are taking the devastating science of climate change seriously.


New stakeholder groups

One issue I have raised before with Wessex water is that while I am very impressed with their engagement with customers the style of previous meetings were more presentation than any real engagement. To their credit they have taken on board those concerns - indeed I am sure they recognised that themselves, and they have set up a new system of engagement. At this meeting there were all sorts of groups including the CAB, Age UK, NFU, Country Land and Business Association, Consumer Council for Water and many more plus of course various elected representatives from across the Wessex region.

Anyhow there are now three stakeholder groups, 'Services and planning' and 'Environment' and the one I sit on, 'Customers and Communities' - this will look at all aspects of customer engagement - first up issues we raised included social tariffs, private sewers and the accessibility of literature. So if you are in Stroud District and receive Wessex Water and have an issue do please contact me.

Social tariffs

This stakeholders group has already considered Social Tariffs - an issue I have discussed previously on this blog. Wessex have taken the lead in this area and commissioned research which will be available very soon. Defra recently issued a consultation on "Affordable water" which included some thoughts about guidance on social tariffs : www.defra.gov.uk/consult/water-affordability-1104/ The Green Party have made some comments - see here - and I highlighted to the group the recently published report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that considered "water poverty" (ie when households spend 3% or more of their income on water bills).

The report, 'Vulnerability to Heat Waves and Drought: Adaptation to Climate Change', by the environmental consultancy AEA and a team from the University of Surrey, warns that water is becoming scarce as a result of climate change and increased consumer demand - no surprise there.  An estimated four million households in the UK are already "water poor", according to the report, and the situation is likely to worsen, with bills predicted to rise by 5% a year for some customers. In our next meeting in October we will look at this issue further.

Oldbury update

The 220-MW Oldbury 2 reactor (see photo view from Randwick with the new reactors added) went offline recently very unexpectedly. Nuclear is not as reliable as folk would have us believe...but hey that wasn't what I was going to write about....first water use then a bit of recent stuff on the campaign to stop more nukes being built at Oldbury...

Nukes wont be built without subsidy - See my letter here.

Water use at nukes

I am the District Council's rep on the Wessex Water Customer liaison panel. I was asked a while back to see what Wessex Water's views are about the proposals for new nuclear reactors at Hinkley. How will this impact on water abstraction? Will this impact in any way on costs to customers? What issues are there around sustainability and water?

The reply I got basically said they already supply Hinkley - in fact when the first Hinkley was built a reservoir that Wessex use to supply drinking water to the local community was also built. There is also apparently a desalination on site as a back up to other cooling supplies. As it happens - compared to other areas - there is a surplus of water in that area and discussions are now being made regarding possible additional supplies. I have been promised a more detailed reply but not had it yet. See also more re the nuclear industry's use of water by Radiation Free Lakeland campaigner, Marianne Birkby here.

Tory minister visits Oldbury

The Energy minister Charles Hendry said recently that land next to the River Severn was appropriate for a new generation of nuclear reactors during a visit to the site near Thornbury (see news report here). He spent several hours at the existing Oldbury atomic station to meet those who run the ageing plant's two reactors and to look across mist- shrouded farmland in Shepperdine where energy company Horizon wants up to three more. His visit came a day after he met representatives from eight sites around the country which are being considered for new nuclear stations to help meet Britain's energy demands.

The Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy responded saying: "So very disappointing to read that the Energy Minister, Charles Hendry, still considers the site appropriate despite the fact that so many local people and councils disagree with him. Clearly he is simply not listening to anything we, our local councils and our MP have said to DECC. It seems he is only interested in the views of the pro-nuclear people at the power station. Clearly he didn’t take the trouble to look at the view from the villages surrounding the site and those above that look down on the site. If he had gone to Hill, for example, he might not have been so insensitive! The village of Oldbury, which is presumably the only village he travelled close enough to, will not even see the new site as it will be hidden behind the existing power station! Unless of course Horizon revert to the gravity towers, in which case they too will be visibly affected."

Consultation on National Policy Statements

Shepperdine Against Nuclear Energy has responded to the reconsultation on National Policy Statements. Click on the link for full comments but here is a quote: "We were very surprised that Oldbury remained on the list of potential sites, when Braystones, Kirksanton and Dungeness were all removed for reasons that included (and, in the case of Dungeness, was exclusively) the adverse impact on the environment and landscape. Oldbury/ Shepperdine is an estuarine site with limited access to water for cooling the reactor. Accordingly, it is the only one of the nominated sites which must have cooling towers, and is therefore by far the largest and most intrusive of all the planned developments. The Severn Estuary and the countryside which overlooks it are both naturally beautiful and internationally important for their biodiversity. It is indefensible to put the largest and ugliest of the new nuclear builds in one of the most attractive and sensitive localities on the list, especially when the generating capacity can be provided at alternative sites that are less significant and less vulnerable, and that do not need cooling towers. Our detailed concerns, and the evidence to support them, are laid out below. The numbers in parentheses refer to paragraphs in the revised Draft NPS for Nuclear Power Generation (EN-6). These concerns amplify the views which we expressed in our initial response to the original Draft NPS, and take account of the revisions made by the Government. We remain deeply concerned about several generic issues which we highlighted in our earlier response. These include the uncertain risks of storing radioactive waste on site (potentially for up to 160 years); the destruction of local communities; and the disruption caused by building and the influx of the construction workforce. However, these arguments apply to all of the nominated sites. Instead, we focus here on the specific factors that make Oldbury uniquely unsuitable for a new nuclear development based around either of the reactors that were recently approved in the Generic Design Assessment process."

Living Flood Histories: great day!

Well Friday last week I went along to a day's workshop in Bristol on flooding and 'art' - it had the catchy-title: ‘Researching Learning to Live with Water: Flood histories, Environmental Change, Remembrance and Resilience'.

Photos: from the event that was also being filmed for a possible Youtube film

It was an Arts and Humanities Research Council funded project involving folk from various universities around the country - this was the first of a series of workshops - I was one of 6 speakers - the others all Profs and Docs, I was there with a local action group perspective having helped set up the Ruscombe Brook Action Group and the Stroud Valleys Water Forum - plus of course being a District councillor and sitting on the Wessex Water Customer Liaison Panel.

So what was it all about? Well it was hugely informative and interesting - learnt lots - it is exciting when different perspectives come together. Indeed to give some ideas I will attach the programme below with some additional comments - there will also be more coming soon on their blog at: http://livingfloodhistories.wordpress.com/

The aims of the network can be found here - basically about exploring the potential that arts and humanities approaches have (in interdisciplinary contexts) to contribute to our understandings of how communities have lived with flood risk in the past, and how they might do so in the future.

Friday aimed "to draw together an initial set of ideas, projects and examples from artists, interdisciplinary academics and activists who are in some way or other working with communities in relation to past flood trauma and future flood resilience. This will then serve as a springboard for the development of the network through online resources and subsequent events. In workshops two and three, we will be particularly interested in projects which seek to work between artist practices/ humanities research approaches and practical development of resilience in communities."

There is a great introduction to the project here. It includes: "The July 2007 floods in Gloucestershire were considered by hydrologists to be a very extreme event, with percentage probabilities of occurrence of <0.5>200 year return period) on some rivers (Marsh and Hannaford, 2007). It represented the biggest peacetime civil emergency in recent history. The scale of these floods brought the possible interaction between fluvial (river), pluvial (surface water) and groundwater flooding in a single event on to the radar of the public and those involved in flood risk management. The severity of the 2007 floods was again matched by those in Cumbria in 2009. Lives, property, strategic infrastructure, and the fabrics of local communities and economies were inundated and destroyed. Many other smaller, but equally severe at the local level, instances of flooding of settlements and parts of settlements have occurred and seem set to continue across the UK. Across Europe and globally, extreme floods events have also occurred in the 1990s and 2000s."

Indeed as it goes on these events have helped confirm the view that out climate is changing. However as the day noted and this blog has done too - flood and drought are two sides of the same coin. A point perhaps missed by policies and approaches like the Pitt Review - although the Pitt Review does embed the idea of resilience - how can communities, and society more generally, be (made more) resilient in the face of flood risk and flood events.

One aspect these workshops hope to explore more about community resilience is that of community knowledge. Not something Pitt considers - but as the introduction says "the community knowledge around flood resilience is embodied within the stories that reside within individuals and communities and are shared about past flooding experiences."

In the arts there is a growing interest in landscape, place, nature, community, environment and environmental history - in Stroud we have groups like the excellent 'Walking the Land' that have had many local exhibitions and walks and more. The arts as this 'Living Flood' project hopes to show can help with investigating local histories of flooding, helping manage the after effects of floods and living with flood risk, connecting those who have no experience of floods with those who have to help prepare in areas identified as flood risk. It is extraordinary that houses continue to be built on flood plains.

Anyway here is that programme below from the first day to give a flavour of it - apols as all these are notes - hopefully the reports and papers will be available on the web as I cannot even begin to do justice to them here!!

Learning to Live with Water: Flood histories, Environmental Change, Remembrance and Resilience. Workshop 1: Floods and environmental change: conceptual frameworks for thinking about watery landscapes and living with floods.

Date Friday 26th Nov. at UWE Bower Ashton Campus, Bristol (pictured left).

Programme

10.00 - 10.30 Registration and coffee

10.30. House-keeping introduction

10.35. Network / workshop introduction by Professor Lindsey McEwen and project team (Dr Owain Jones (pictured left), Dr Iain Robertson and Professor Mike Wilson)

10.45. Reading 1: From Small Memories by José Saramago. Lissa Carter, who performed the readings is a theatre specialist working in the south-west - trained at New College and later completed a MA in Feminist Performance at Bristol University. She has taught acting skills for many years and is a voice specialist. I loved these readings that were delivered beautifully - many of them bringing to life flood experiences, many of them bringing a smile...what a treat for us!

10.50. Talk 1: Dr. Lucy Veale. School of Geography, University of Nottingham “Representations of climate change in East Midlands museum collections”. This was fascinating and has inspired me to see if we can do something similar in Gloucestershire - see their network here and more about the Mubu climate change project here. Lucy talked about some of the pitfalls of climate change exhibitions but also some of the possibilities. I've already started some conversations on this - as blog readers will know I have long felt the County has failed us with their library service not being used to promote actions for a lower carbon economy - climate change is one of GCC's aims yet they don't seem to use the tools they have to help tackle it - it took me far too long to get the Energy Monitors project off the ground despite all around being keen and willing - I am hoping that project will encourage more similar projects. But now museums I can see more clearly museums have huge potential......each region really needs a Lucy to get this ball rolling but I understand from an artist at this event that there is already interest in this area.....

11. 10. Talk 2: Dr. Chad Staddon, Bristol Water Group, University of West of England (UWE)
"Climate Change, Extreme Weather and People: the socio-cultural experience of flooding". I also loved this talk as it posed questions like are floods really what we should be focusing on - this goes back to my comment earlier re flood and drought but also a wider issue....

11.30. Coffee

11.45. Reading 2: From Waterland by Graham Swift

11.50. Talk 3: Dr. Simon Read, School of Arts and Education, Middlesex University and Artist: “Imagining Change. (Artist as mediator in coastal flooding histories and future scenarios)”. Again another fascinating talk about the Suffolk coast and use of beautifully painted maps to plot and record flooding and impact - to show how the 'armour' defences along the coast - rocks from Norway - are collapsing and communities are threatened. In the afternoon a couple of artworks by Simon Read were on display including "A map of the River Deben to show topography and the indicative flood plain 1999-2010" - beautiful but also an extraordinary record.

12.15. Reading 3: From accounts of the 1607 floods of Somerset and Monmouthshire

12.20. Talk 4: Dr. Rebecca Whittle, Lancaster Environment Centre; University of Lancaster “After the rain: flood, vulnerabilityand urban resilience in Hull”. This talk was also brilliant - a great project looking at adults and children who had experienced flood - work compiled from interviews and diaries to give a real flavour of how floods impact. It isn't the flood that often causes the problems but the aftermath and dealing with insurers and more....

12.40. End of morning discussions

1.00. Lunch (with slide show of flood heritage markers/images running on loop)

1.45. Reading 4: Wetland – life in the Somerset Levels, by Patrick Sutherland and Adam Nicholson

1.50. Talk 5: Philip Booth, Stroud Green Party Councillor and Water Issue Activist: “The story of Stroud water politics and the Ruscombe Brook Action Group”. Well my 20 minutes - although I apparently ran over a couple - was looking at how RBAG was formed and what we have been doing with community groups, Councils and others. It was a whistle-stop tour of some of the highlights - missed out lots but hopefully gave a flavour. It was also good to hear that a couple of artists in teh audience were interested in something here in Stroud.

I also mentioned three artists - the international Iranian artist Ahmad Nadalian who had a big impact on me seeing how powerful art can be at getting messages across (see my blog here and here re his visit to Stroud) plus two local artists - Simon Packard (see here - his sculptures are still at Ruskin Mill) and Richard Dean (see map left which was in my presentation and see my blog here).

“These maps are not intended to scare, but the vision is rather alarming. Art making has always had a visionary, prophetic intention, to see into humanity’s dreams as well as nightmares, to explore the things we fear most. Maybe in this way we become better able to deal with these fears, and possibly also get a firm grip on what we need to do to avoid them. I hope we can all learn from their watery tales”. Dean 2009.

2.10. Reading 5: In Time of Flood James Crowden

2.15. Talk 6: Nicola Whyte Department of History, University of Exeter: “Memories of wateryscapes in the early modern period”. Wow was this interesting - I've had an awarenss of the use of court reports - think I caught something on radio 4 a while back but this was really interesting to see how these old reports can be used to look at our landscape and tell us stories - to look at memory and oral traditions and for example how flood landscapes changed grazing and impacted on local Parishes and farmers.

2.35. Discussion and short presentation by Professor Mike Pearson of Aberystwyth University. Mike was the keynote discussant at the first workshop - Professor of Performance Studies at Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies, University of Aberystwyth. Professor Pearson is a leading international academic in the area of performance, place and landscape and the author of In Comes I: Performance, Memory and Landscape, University of Exeter Press, 2006 and Theatre/Archaeology, London & New York, Routledge/Taylor & Francis, 2001 (with M. Shanks ). Again a very interesting talk about the carrlands project: www.carrlands.org.uk/

That is well worth a look and indeed a listen - some 3 hours of audio - but hey I'm running out of puff with this blog so must stop....

3.00. Open discussion forum on the day (inc coffee - and hey this was the best coffee I've had for many years at any conference - fresh and quality!).

3.45. End.

Thanks to the organisers and indeed for the invite.

Need changes to regulations re water

Back on 10th November I posted a blog about the recent Forum. This is the email I sent to Neil Carmichael regarding water regulations that we did not have time to discuss.

Photo: Randwick Woods

Email:

I was disappointed that the meeting was cut to 30 minutes rather than 2 hours as arranged particularly as the previous meeting had also been cut very short. I welcome your moves to push for more catchment wide policies to tackling flooding.

In addition to the points raised at the meeting I had wanted to note some wider issues relating to the water industry - here are some quick notes. I would welcome comments;

1. There need to be greater rewards and lower regulatory obstacles for companies to develop renewable energy/energy efficiency measures. Wessex Water for example have seen a 33% rise in power use in 10 years: massive energy saving will be needed just to stand still. Reforms to regulation for example need to address obstacles relating to:

• Sludge digesters: it should be easy to take food waste
• Water company land should be more easily available for renewables
• Sewage standards need to change to take account of climate change and need a precautionary approach to take account of heavier rains
• Investment programme is absurd at 5 years - should be at least 10 or 20 years with room to adapt to new information

2. Water efficiency needs more investment - the region is not classed as water stressed but needs investment to maintain balance re supply and demand.

• We need to move to all meters - at very least starting with metering in change of ownership
• Clearer measures are needed to protect low income users eg encouraging more tariffs like Assist but this will not be sufficient we will also need to move towards a position where the lowest 10% of householders in income will be subsidised by the wealthier. This is a position advocated by Wessex Water and others.

3. Catchment management: this is still poorly understood. We need local authorities to have a clearer understanding and a lead by Government to ensure Core Strategies take account of this issue. Regulations insisting on assured outcomes also make it difficult for water companies. For example the solution to pesticides and nitrates is to go for expensive intensive water purification. Wessex Water are unusual in the UK in that they are trying to work around this to work with farmers and others.

Cllr Philip Booth, Stroud District councillor for Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward

Wessex Water meeting: private sewers, private water and more

Wednesday saw me in Bath for the Wessex Water panel - I sit on this on behalf of Stroud District Council and we meet three or four times a year.

Photo: Wessex HQ at Claverton Down

It has been a fascinating and interesting group and I have learnt lots about many aspects of water over the last couple of years. As this blog shows I have asked many and varied questions but I have wondered about the level of scrutiny by councillors from around the Wessex Water area. Are we really engaging? What are we taking back to our own councils? Anyway I was pleased to hear that Wessex are looking at ways to improve and change these panels. Having said all that Wessex are ahead of competitors in engaging in this way....if only we could talk to Severn Trent rather than the crazy system where I have to send at least 3 emails and make 2 phone calls before I get a response....

Anyway topics discussed this time include how the company (like all water companies - see old blog post on STW) will have to take on responsibilities for the private sewers in a year's time - this will be no mean feet - it will double the water companies sewer assets and could lead to an estimated 7 or 8 times increase in sewer problems. This is because private sewers are often less well maintained and smaller - so more fat blockages. This could lead to an eyewatering 20% increase in water bills in future years. I do welcome the transfer as it will lead to alot less disputes like we have had in the Ruscombe valley - and hopefully clear responsibilities about who should maintain - but the legislation leaves a few unanswered questions....plus it is clear insurance companies and some others are dragging feet in the hope they can leave responsibilities for problems to the water companies...

Well that was private sewers well private water supply was another issue - Environmental Health will have new powers and responsibilities to ensure water quality - in Wessex this means about 8,000 supplies. This will also impact on Councils and increase their responsibilities just at a time when they are being squeezed. I understand some charges will go to householders - and risk assessments will be needed - for example would pesticide testing be necessary in some cases?

Reports from Wessex include an update on their customer services - many organisations could learn from them - I did ask specifically about their bill improvements and easy read versions of literature - in particular whether they could do versions for people with learning disabilities - they noted they would be happy to talk and already produce easy reads.

Another issue discussed was the new Surface Water Management Plans - I do note concerns with the Governments cut of £170m from flood defences. As to water supplies - reservoirs are looking good, we also heard about their innovations team which looks at stuff like hydro power, algae control, analytical equipment improvements and lots more. Hey so much more but I'll stop there - need coffee!

Blog action on water

Today is Blog Action day - this year the theme is water. Last year, more than 13,000 bloggers participated from 152 countries including Ruscombe Green (see here). The aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion about an important issue that impacts people around the world.

Well water has been a big issue on this blog so despite not having time to write anything I thought I must support this event. Locally I helped found the Ruscombe Brook Action Group, the Safe Water Campaign for Gloucestershire (to stop water fluoridation) and the Stroud Valleys Water Forum. I also sit on the Wessex Water panel on behalf of Stroud District Council. This blog has covered a plethora of issues like whether water companies are extracting too much, support for better catchment management, why we need to pee in compost, local sewage problems, sewage sludge in farming, the lack of pristine rivers in the UK, trying to get water on agenda at Copenhagen, drugs in our water and loads and loads more. I've also looked at saving water in the garden and the excellent tips around home.

But perhaps most important item in terms of this day is our water footprint - see here my blog: "on average a single person in the UK goes through 150 litres of water a day by drinking, flushing and washing, around 30 times that amount is consumed by ‘virtual’ water – the water embedded in the food we eat, the clothes we wear and the numerous other items we consume. This is equivalent to someone having 58 baths or washing their clothes 75 times in a single day."

We cannot continue to import water in the way we do - the impact on the planet is too great. This is a time for change and I see it coming in those local action groups and raised awareness - our respect for water is returning.

Change.org|Start Petition

Only 1.4% want to save money!?

I meant to also mention in my last blog today regarding my meeting at Wessex Water that I asked about the results of their water and energy efficiency campaign. They have been giving out packs to help folk save water - but it seems so far since the launch on 1st April only 7,000 people have applied out of 500,000 in the Wessex region.

Wessex Water and indeed Severn Trent and other companies have been giving away a pack to save water - which also means saving energy - the pack includes a shower save (pictured) that can cut bills by £40 per year - people are asked to apply for the packs as research shows if they are just issued few people use them.

So why not save money? It is a good indication of the challenges we have to change behaviours. If there are folk out there who didn't respond to the Severn Trent or Wessex offer please do let me know why....clearly some missed the offer as they haven't read their news from the water companies, others might not have a shower...

Anyhow packs are still available - and I would recommend going one step further with an eco-shower head and tap inserts - see details of shower save and more here.

Wessex Water meeting:

As regular blog readers will know I sit on the Customer Liaison Panel of Wessex water on behalf of Stroud District Council. There are 3 or 4 meetings each year and one of those was this week - a day off work and a trip to Bath. You can click on the Wessex Water label below to catch up with the issues I have raised.

Photo: pics from visit

This blog will not cover the contents of the meeting as there is far too much to say - but a bit of a taster and hopefully pick up on some of the issues previously covered and whether we are in a drought...well some 35 or so of us assembled and first up was the Executive Chair's report which he delivered in style - Colin Skellett has much to be pleased about - service and performance standards all put Wessex Water first (or a couple of times second) in the industry.

I've covered the Price Review Outcome before but here's a summary of what they plan in next 5 years - improved security of supply by building a grid, cutting leakage by a further 5%, water quality improved for over 100,000 customers, installing advanced sludge treatment to generate green energy and cut carbon by 32,000 tonnes, solutions to 500 homes re flooding and better bathing and river waters.

Various issues were raised by Colin - one I was interested in was the move Wessex would like to see towards longer investment programmes - the current 5 year plans are ridiculous - I did seek assurances that longer plans would still be flexible to take account of new info re climate change or energy security - while Wessex have a plan I am not convinced other companies are as well along that road.

Indeed one of the other presentations from Wessex was their report on climate change adaptation for Defra - it looked for example at the impact of more frequent and intense storms and the drier summers - the sewer floodings, increased pollution, the growth of unwanted micro-organisms/algae in reservoirs, siltation of sewers, more flooding of buildings etc. I asked about how they were integrating the info from this report into their practice - again it is clear it is influencing and supporting their current strategy.

Another issue that is on the cards is how the current system encourages companies to build their own resources - there needs to be a way to encourage more sharing of resources - indeed the whole system is a nonsense whereby it is harder for a water company to merge with another water company than it is for a company that has no water interests - of course there are concerns re monopolies but some mergers would clearly benefit and provide more sustainable supplies of our water.

The current regulatory regime inhibits companies from generating renewable energy - an issue I've covered before - Wessex wants to become carbon neutral but such regulations make it difficult. Similarly sludge digesters could be used more widely - for domestic organic waste. While I am often fearful when there is talk of burning up the red tape and regulations there are clearly here examples of where it needs to occur. Regulations have often been brought in to tackle a particular problem - just to cut them is not the answer - certainly look at their functioning....but hey I'm getting off topic - I learnt that wind turbine prices have increased by 30% in recent years due to strength of pound and overseas demand for turbines - see my post here this week on renewables....anyhow at least the government are getting rid of similar regulations that stop councils from generating renewable energy...

Some interesting suggestions from Wessex included merging Ofgem and Ofwat, combining the Environment Agency with Natural England and making the Drinking Water Inspectorate part of teh food Standards Agency - well the later is unlikely as the Food Agency looks set to go completely - I'm not sure about the EA but certainly there is room for strengthening certain roles.

It looks like there will be a Biodiversity Bill fairly early in parliament - now at first I would welcome this but I have dreadful suspicions that it is not going to be the direction we want - already there is alot of emphasis on farming - and farming that is not particularly sustainable - but lets hope I am proved wrong!

Well there were also a number of issues raised regarding planning legislation - the ridiculous infrastructure charges that means new developments pay about £250 per development instead of the real costs of £1,200 - a way of subsidising housing developments - but why should existing customers end up footing the bill??? More of this in another post soon. Water companies should also be mandatory consultees....

We also had a brief discussion on Pitt - again an issue previously covered on this blog - sadly it has not resolved the SUDS issue. We do need leadership on this. There were other presentations on customer services - again Wessex is a leader so not much to say otherthan they are top and working to improve further. One other talk was a look at Waste Management - not the sludge stuff but everything else - the biggest part - some 80% - being the stuff they dig out of the road to lay pipes or fix leaks etc - they are looking at every step to see how this can be minimised - all impressive stuff.

So have we got a drought? Can we expect hosepipe bans in the Wessex region? In short no - some of teh northern water companies already have hosepipe bans but while reservoirs have dropped they are reasonable compared to other years, ground water storage is also OK as are rivers - the rivers are drier but not exceptional. This is not like 1995 or 1975/6 - also leakage rates have improved significantly.

Hey OK this is a bit of a ramble but happy to talk if folk have a particular interest.

I'm now saving 18 litres of water per day

Well actually I'm not sure if that is true but the makers of tap inserts say that they can save up to that amount - I fitted one at the weekend and certainly I have a smoother flow with less water - but not so noticeable as the spray is faster if you see what I mean - anyway I think they are well worth it - almost any saving will start to pay for itself in terms of savings on hot water especially if folk don't use a washing up bowl.

Tap inserts - see photo of me installing above - takes less than a minute and fits 85% of taps - see the brief video here about how to install.

Free showersave - at the moment both Wessex Water and Severn Trent (and maybe other water companies) are giving away free showerheads - see Severn Trent here - these are not the same as the whole showerheads - see next item - but do still save up to £40 per year - again well worth installing. The photo left shows the small device screwed into the shower - it takes 10 seconds to install!

Eco-Showerheads - well I've already fitted one of these a long while ago - and rave about how much I have saved of hot water - see photo left - it looks just the same as any other showerhead and takes about 10 seconds to screw off the old head and screw on the new - although my Eco-Camel at about £20 has now been outperformed by the NordicEco shower with a higher price tag - see a review here - if it saves all it says then the higher price is worth the money saved....

See the previous excellent summary of water saving hints here that we wrote for the Ruscombe Brook Action Group - and here previous blogs on RBAG.

Do water companies take too much water from rivers?

I recently had the chance to skim the study, 'Riverside Tales', by WWF about water companies abstracting too much water.

Photo: Ruscombe Brook

WWF are arguing that out-of-date licensing rules mean water companies are taking too much water from rivers and threatening local ecosystems. They have called for action from the Environment Agency to revoke some licences and for more info to customers about the impact of water extraction on the river ecosystem.

The report shows that the Itchen (Portsmouth way) was found to be a successful example of good water management with plans to install water meters throughout the region to help protect against over-abstraction. However the report suggests a third of river catchments are threatened by excessively high abstraction levels - particularly when rainfall is low.

Well as I sit on the Customer Liaison Panel of Wessex Water it seemed right that I should raise this issue with them. I should note that Wessex does have some info on the website re low flow rivers and at previous Liaison Panel meetings has discussed abstraction policies. They have done a lot of work with the EA on abstraction licences, particularly in their sensitive river areas and have given up 23,000,000 litres of abstraction licence going forward from 2010.

I understand from them that they have been able to do this because of their work on water conservation and leakage reduction. They are also developing a grid - mentioned previously on this blog (see here) - to ensure abstraction for public water supply does not unduly affect rivers.

WWF are doing the right thing in keeping up awareness, but there is a wider debate about what we want as a society? Protecting our rivers yet still providing the water society demands. Its up to politicians to strike the right balance between societal demands and environmental needs and protection - with of course the good science to back up their decision making process.

Yet in politics we sadly seem to respond to the latest issue raised by the media or public - see for example the discussion about Combined Sewage Overflows here - we end up looking at one area rather than looking at the whole picture. One bit of government promoting one thing and another bit rejecting it.....

Metering would be very valuable to reduce abstraction from rivers - the EA also values it - but, it was rejected by OFWAT as not being cost effective. The investment assessment they use is very narrow. Wessex Water have pushed hard for metering as my previous blogs have shown so it is hard to lay blame just with water companies....

Campaign to pee in compost?

I read an article in The Ecologist that says 'water companies, not farmers, are to blame for river pollution'.

Photo: Ruscombe Farm with two ponds at the top of the Ruscombe brook

Here is the jist of the article: "Phosphorus from human and household waste, rather than fertiliser run-off from farming, is the main source of river pollution, according to recently published findings. A ten-year study of nine rivers including the river Thames used another chemical, boron, found in washing powders, to help identify household waste as the main source of phosphorus....Excess levels of phosphorus in water contributes to the process known as eutrophication, whereby certain species, for example algae, thrive and rapidly begin to dominant the river at the expense of other species, including fish. When the algae die, their decomposition removes vital oxygen from river waters."

The article goes onto say that farming has been seen as being the main problem - ie about 50 per cent of phosphorus while human and household waste are responsible for some 24 per cent. However this new report indicates farming are responsible for just 20 per cent of phosphorus pollution, with household waste contributing 73 per cent. The Environment Agency, commenting after the publication of the findings, said it agreed with the analysis and believed sewage effluent accounted for 60-70 per cent of the total phosphorus entering rivers.

This blog has had much discussion about sewage - not least because of all the serious incidents occurring in the Ruscombe Brook (see pictures left and point 3 here for background on that). The article acknowledges we still need to target farming - especially high-risk areas of intensive livestock production - or perhaps better still I would argue we should call for much tighter controls and an end to such practices as battery hens. Anyway the report calls for more action on identifying effluent sources from households, including septic tanks and local drains.

It is worth noting that the report acknowledges that simply removing phosphorus might not provide the solution to good river ecology. Analysis of targeted phosphorus removal on the River Kennet, off the Thames, found eutrophication to still be a major problem. This means we need to also address the wider picture - such as flow, habitat, and water resources - the report suggests this 'requires new science that looks at the complex relationships between hydrology, biology, chemistry and habitat, as well as our interactions and needs.'

Is sewage the problem?

Well as Stroud District Council's representative on the Customer Liaison Panel of Wessex Water I have had some dialogue on this issue with Wessex and indeed other colleagues interested in water. I should note that Wessex has won various awards for it's sustainability policies - I don't know where other water companies like Severn Trent sit on this?

Anyhow this report's findings, although billed as 'news' is apparently old news. In fact where Wessex Water do not have phosphate removal at sewage treatment works it is likely that treated effluent is the major source. Wessex have phosphate removal at all works which discharge into sensitive areas - where they have this treatment, agriculture is then the major source, for example the Stour or the Somerset levels.

It seems clear that control at source is a key management tool that can be used to tackle the problem. I am aware for example that Wessex have worked hard to get soap manufacturers to remove phosphate from their products and continue to work with farmers to manage their application of mineral phosphate (every little helps). But what to do with the human population?

The usual concentration of phosphate in effluent is about 10 milligrams. Water companies can usually reduce the phosphate concentration in the effluent by about 80% by applying a specific treatment, but there is a downside. To do this on most works requires companies to add Iron Sulphate. This traps the phosphate but does mean that the water companies have to import this chemical from Spain or Scandinavia where it is a by product of the metal industry. This means that the process has a very unpleasant carbon footprint, so we solve one problem by introducing another.

Pee in the compost?

It would seem that unless we can get the human population to pee in their gardens, or at least into a bucket that can be poured onto the compost heap, phosphate will always be a problem, because human urine is the most abundant source of phosphate. Is this a campaign anyone wants to take on?? Certainly many organic gardeners already practice this but I am sure many people will be reluctant to consider and others will have small gardens (like myself) that could lead to questions from the neighbours?

I did cover a video about using pee here after one of the Open Homes noted the use of urine - see also here about the book 'Liquid Gold', cows urine in drinks and peeing in the shower.

So anyone for a campaign to encourage more folk to pee in their compost?

Reed beds?

I understand there is research going on looking at how urine can be kept separate from solids - but there is a long way to go with this work. Reed beds are one solution and Wessex have a research project looking at different types of reed bed starting shortly. Severn Trent have also used reed beds - indeed have more than all the other water companies put together, but are still seemingly resistant to using them for solutions locally.

I have talked lots about reed beds in this blog - see for example basic description here - see also here about the ponds that deal with sewage at Hawkwood.

"The Carbon fields"

Graham Harvey, author of the excellent "The Killing of the Countryside" is also the Agricultural editor for the Archers and recently put reedbeds into the Archers plotline ... they even went off gravel beds (because of humus/carbon clogging) and switched to ponds because of this. A comment from a local water expert was "shame he didn't understand rb's need to be planted only in humus...though these microbes also appear (when applied weekly) to make sewage pond systems far more reliable ... maybe better than soil/humus rb's"

Harvey's new book, "The Carbon Fields" I have just started reading - it is very profound....here is what is said about the book: "A simple and elegant solution to some of the world's most pressing problems – rising food prices, increased carbon emissions and the health crisis. The answer is here for us now if we're bold enough to take it. No breakthroughs are required, no "fad" diets. There's no need to throw away the car keys or give up real butter and juicy steaks. So why haven't we been told about this great natural gift? Award-winning author Graham Harvey investigates the murky world of food and farming and reveals how global corporations have hijacked Britain's most basic source of life and health."

This blog has covered stuff re soil before - see here and here - See Harvey's book here or get it at Stroud Bookshop like me.

Sewage problems to be tackled, but when?

Don't read this article at meal times! This article below was sent to the Randwick Runner last week to update folk as we had a great meeting of the Stroud Valleys Water Forum where we were able to ask many questions of Severn Trent.

Photos: from RBAG meeting and Water Forum meeting with Severn Trent

The Ruscombe Brook Action Group also met the night before to pull together questions and issues (see photo). We are also looking at the next phase for Puckshole and plans for Hamwell Leaze and The Lawns - see previous blog on this.

Other issues I managed to raise with Severn Trent at that meeting include a request for:
- more info re planned works,
- issues around new developments in the area,
- Severn Trent to set up a Customer liaison panel like Wessex Water so that we can have input and feedback from the company,
- them to extend their tariffs to include an Assist tariff that is best for those in financial difficulties (they already have many measures incl their ST Trust Fund but this would be a step further).

Anyway to that article:

Many will know that about five years ago there were well over 20 incidents of raw sewage getting into the Ruscombe Brook including the Randwick tributary. This was mainly due to the sewers surcharging usually during heavy rain. Since then the Ruscombe Brook Action Group (RBAG) have been meeting monthly and incidents have been reduced to a couple a year.

There have been many successes and actions along the way including improvements along key sites of the brook, clear-ups of rubbish and furniture in the brook, work with schools, sorting out misconnections where for example a washing machine had been discharging directly into the brook, a replacement of a pipe bridge, distributing several hundred fat traps to raise awareness about blockages, working to develop a flood catchment strategy for the whole Five Valleys and this December the fitting of a 13k new grill and culvert at Puckshole to reduce flooding. When we met with Severn Trent all that long ago they originally denied there was a problem. Since then we have come along way and they have now done extensive CCTV, flow monitoring, a manhole survey, developed a hydraulic model and much more along the sewer system.

Last week we met again with Severn Trent at Ebley Mill and the year old Stroud Valleys Water Forum. John O' Leary (pictured second from right) from Severn Trent gave us a comprehensive presentation of plans for the area including the huge works at Slad and Cashes Green. At those sites vast pipes will store 180 cubic meters of sewage during heavy rain then discharge slowly into the sewers when flows have reduced. This will hopefully stop the handful of properties in the area from getting sewage in their homes.

John was also very honest about the problems and challenges. Severn Trent now admit there are large sections of our sewer networks that are inadequate. In recent years the water company has, each year, cut tree roots that grow into the sewer pipes in the Ruscombe Valley and Randwick and down the sewers to The Lake at The Lawns opposite Tricorn House. These roots cause blockages which can lead to the surcharges and blown manhole covers...and plenty of not very pleasant stuff in our fields and gardens. Indeed on one occasion we picked up two buckets of sanitary ware alone!

Relining does not appear to be an option as the pipes are not large enough, so a proposal is being submitted for specialised 'pipe bursting' that will lead to replacement of sewer sections. However this is an expensive option as much of the sewer network is inaccessible to the 40 tonne truck they usually use. There are also hydraulic issues and other challenges. So we need to now wait to hear whether the plans are accepted and what level of priority the capital works will get.

While I am delighted the problems have been clearly accepted and documented I am concerned that we will now have to wait a long time. Severn Trent's recent determination by OFWAT means they will have to cut staff. This is not good, but we will have to see what this will mean in practice. We understand priority must be given to people that face raw sewage in their homes but equally we need to address this issue which leaves us open to sewage incidents.

RBAG have a number of projects that we are working on and will continue to push for improvements. We would welcome new members or anyone interested in learning more.

Cllr Philip Booth, Ruscombe Brook Action Group

Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe News from your District Councillor

I've just started delivering my latest news letter - the contents of which are below - apols for delay - I usually try to get it out in January but due to a twisted ankle and the snow it has been delayed. Please also use the 'labels' or the search engine on this blog to find out more about my activities.

Dear Resident,

I feel very fortunate to live in and be part of these lively communities. We have a great village shop, schools, churches, clubs and pubs, plus many wonderful local events like street parties, the Randwick Wap, pancake races, art exhibitions, theatre and more. These all go a long way towards strengthening our communities - something that is close to my heart.

As residents will know, I have nearly completed four years as the local District Councillor. I would be proud to serve a further term and I hope you will consider voting for me this May.

This newsletter gives a taste of some of my recent actions and projects. As I hope it shows, I remain passionate about social and environmental justice and am committed to working with others to achieve the changes we need.

I would like to thank all those who have supported me and the local Green Party for funding this annual newsletter.

Cllr. Philip Booth, Stroud District Councillor for Randwick, Whiteshill and Ruscombe ward

Want to talk to Philip?

Philip would love to hear your views, answer your questions or try to help with local problems. Email Philip on philip.booth2@virgin.net or phone 01453755451 or write to: 2 The Laurels, Bread Street, Ruscombe, Stroud GL66EL.

Some recent successes

Philip has:

• Led a successful campaign to get a bus shelter at Stratford
• Set up the Stroud Valleys Water Forum that is taking a lead in developing an effective flood policy for the District
• Initiated a Countywide scheme for libraries to loan out energy monitors to help people cut their energy use
• Supported residents who have had problems with planning issues
• Helped get a new culvert and grill at Acres Place, Puckshole, to reduce flooding
• Worked with Whiteshill and Ruscombe Parish Council to establish allotments in the area Road
  

Some recent actions by your councillor:

Seeking more accountability at the Council

I have joined other Greens in calling for:

• Councillor expenses to be published fully
• Ending the extra cash paid to councillors who use larger cars
• More openness around decisions to close joint-use sports centres
• The Council to apologise to tenants for the damning report on our Council housing stock (with the exception of two other councillors, all refused to make an apology)

Working for better planning

• I continue to oppose development on the Ruscombe Valley fields and at other key local sites that are currently threatened
• I have been one of four councillors on an extensive inquiry into the planning process which has made key recommendations for improvements

Pressing for transport improvements

• I have helped to gain the '20 is Plenty' traffic calming signs. I oppose County Council measures to remove these.
• I continue to seek other local traffic calming measures (not humps and bumps)
• I continue to work for 20mph speed limits in residential areas to reduce casualties and encourage more walking and cycling
• I want to see a proper bus station in Stroud and improvements to cycle facilities

Protecting our wildlife and environment

• I have been involved in projects locally such as clearing the local brook, supporting the local Hedgehog Hospital and helping develop the Stroud-based Global Bee Project to protect solitary bees
• I have sought improvements to local grit bins and road gullies
• I helped ensure that Severn Trent has taken action on sewage systems locally. This has led to a significant reduction in sewage incidents

Open Homes Success

• I initiated and help organise the hugely popular Eco-renovation Open Homes weekend each September. This involves local homes with renewable energy and energy efficiency measures opening to the public and local renewable energy installers promoting their products

Tackling fuel poverty, energy security and climate change

• I chaired a scrutiny inquiry that has made recommendations for financing energy efficiency and renewable measures
• I am seeking opportunities for the Council to invest and make serious financial returns on investments in renewable energy

Working on your behalf

• Opposing a large incinerator at Javelin Park near Stonehouse or elsewhere in the County
• Actively working to ensure our waste management is more sustainable and cost effective
• Initiated a wood fuel project in local woods
• Raised key issues as Stroud’s representative on the Wessex Water Customer Liaison Panel
• Sought improvements to services at Stratford Park Leisure Centre including measures to improve cleanliness and energy efficiency
• Supported others to successfully oppose large cuts in funding to arts

See last years report here.

Wessex Water meeting: sewage, pesticides, charges, OFWAT and more

More than a couple of weeks ago I attended the Wessex Water Customer Liaison panel on behalf of Stroud District Council - here are some of the issues we discussed - see also earlier blog today regarding the question I raised about sewage sludge being used in farming.

Photo: entrance to WW

Final Business Plan

You can see my comments on the earlier version here - OFWAT have since issued the Final Business Plan (FBP) which was accepted by Wessex Water. I am delighted that some of the points raised have been included although not regarding metering. I moved that the panel should send a letter to OFWAT welcoming some of the moves but disappointment that not all measures had been included.

Basicaly the outcome of the Final Determination is that WW has a large investment plan to deliver improved services - 97% of what was requested got through - but the business also faces tougher targets to maintain existing assets. Investment includes improving drinking water quality, water supply reliability, and reduction in sewage flooding, improving the environment and reducing the risk of pollution. While the official key objectives include ensuring WW is the industry leaders in customer service, to maximise opportunities arising from potential retail separation and customer competition. Some of this will include 74km of pipes replaced to improve water quality, 2,000 lead pipes replaced of an estimated 8,000 remaining, 310km of pipes replaced to reduce leakage, 500 customers to be removed from sewer floods, 15 seage planst to meet new EU standards etc

One key development will be the construction of the 112km regional water grid will take eight years to complete. The benefits of this are that it will ensure WW customers have at least two sources of supply. There is potential to sell to others which would also allow the transfer of water from one area to another.

OFWAT decided that WW bills should rise by 0.6% per year above inflation. This year WW has also designed a new less cluttered bill and billing leaflet.

Bristol Water who now have French owners after having Spanish, have rejected their determination and have submitted a case to the Competition Commission. This is a £2m risky move - they are the only ones to challenge it and it will be interesting to see how far they get.

Customer service awards

The Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) hosted their first awards ceremony which was held in London. Wessex Water won the “Best customer service” award. The CAB said “The award went to Wessex Water for its innovative work in providing a range of schemes that prevent customers from being forced into poverty because of their inability to afford their water bills”. Citizens Advice Bureaux’s across England and Wales say “Wessex Water is the best water provider to work with as they are exceptionally engaged and committed to working with the advice sector to help their most vulnerable customers”.

In the recent heavy snow - extra staff were needed to cope with additional problems - staff were put up in local hotels and ensured all 4x4 vehicles were in operation so that there was no loss in service standards.

Pesticides in Friar Wadden

The meeting heard a report about how the incident of pesticides in the reservoir occurred and was dealt with - it was reassuring to hear how prompt and thorough WW were - I hope other water companies respond similarly - it occured in 2009 due to a farmer mishandling pesticides - 3 incidents occured but no risks to people due to prompt actions. It was 20 days before supplies were restored with daily monitoring, soil sampling and EA meetings. WW worked with the farmer to improve the situation so that it cannot occur in the future.

Charges Briefing

During 2009 17,000 customers switched to meters. The hugely successful Assist tariff is being taken up on the 1st April by Bristol, Welsh, Southern Water and United Utilities. Customers on the Assist tariff pay on average 40% more than they were before being moved to the Assist tariff. Funding of £400,000 will continue next year by WW for CABs. All waste charges including trade effluent remain the same except; WaterSure that will reduce by £3 and the Assist tariff will increase roughly by 2% to reflect increases in benefits. Bristol Water will implement the Assist tariff from 1st April 2010.

Does Wessex Water offer free lead pipe replacement?

One question raised was regarding lead piping. Basically WW will replace the lead pipe from the external stop tab to the water main.

Climate change issues?

Amazingly water companies can't consider climate change unless they look a particular report which wasn't published in time!

Private sewers

I have long argued these need to be transferred to water companies - see for example here - well in WW area roughly 28,000 private sewers and drains and 17,000 will be transferred if this goes ahead - similar for other water companies - yet DEfra are still messing about on this - nothing is moving although they still claim they will have it ready by 2015 at the latest. It will also mean some 150 private contactors will be effected - WW will need to talk to them about how best to proceed as they will not have resources to manage the increase.

Water efficiency

Wessex Water will be launching on 1st April a new water efficiency campaign that will include packs for those who phone in - these packs will contain items like a bag for the loo cistern and shower head restricter-thingyme and more. It has been done with Eon as part of their obligations to cut energy use - how about Severn Trent doing something similar? An issue I hope to raise at the next Water Forum to which we have invited Severn Trent.

Is there a risk using sewage sludge in farming?

Blog readers may remember Panorama's programme about sewage - see my blog here - well a few weeks ago I was at the Wessex Water Customer Liaison panel on behalf of Stroud District Council - the next post will cover that meeting but here I wanted to talk about sewage more.....here is a rather hasty discussion...

Photo: Inside the WW building - great cafe for meeting - acclaimed as a good design for people to work in...

One of the questions I asked related to the use of sewage sludge - in the US there is much concern from some Organic campaigning organisations:
www.organicconsumers.org/sludge.cfm

That link leads to a number of US articles that raise questions about the safety of the use of sewage sludge in agriculture. I asked how the British use of sludge varies from the US and what WW make regarding the allegations that effectively say this sludge is a hazardous waste renamed as "organic fertilizer" (or "biosolids")?

One of the article reads: "Household sewage, contaminated as it is with chemical cosmetics, toxic household cleaners and any number of pharmaceutical drugs poured into toilets and kitchen sinks, isn't pristine; but, to paraphrase Bob Hope, it's not the shit, it's what we've done to it. After the toilet is flushed or the drain is emptied, household waste is funneled into a vast underground sewage system, where it joins a toxic stew of industrial and hospital wastes and rainwater runoff from our streets and highways. Allowing corporations to flood the environment and the waste stream with 100,000 synthetic, mostly toxic chemicals, (most of which end up in sewage sludge), less than 1% of which have ever been proved to be safe for the environment and public health, is a form of insanity. Besides contaminating the water and soil, this irrational so-called "sewage treatment" process wastes enormous amounts of potable water..."

"Human and animal manure, (separated from and free from chemical and pharmaceutical residues), throughout the centuries, and in the present time can and should be safely composted and utilized as a fertilizer on fields, farms, and forests. Although current organic standards prohibit the use of compost derived from human manure (properly composted animal manure is allowed) on food crops, feeding the soil with properly composted "humanure" (or producing methane gas for energy use through bio-digesters) will no doubt become the norm in the future as fossil fuel and water supplies dwindle and chemical fertilizer costs become prohibitive."

I had a detailed response which I can't cover here in full but suggested the articles are an unfortunate miss use of information and overstating of the problem. There are apparently differences between US and European legislation but WW note that the facts do not support the views expressed in these papers, which use very excitable language unusual for scientific papers. Indeed they do, but I still think there is good reason to be concerned....

I was pleased therefore that WW noted that the concerns raised about the use of chemicals in the home and the environment are legitimate and have been considered for a long time.

In the UK we have a range of legislation that deals with the use of chemicals and which chemicals can be used without harm once they are disposed of. We have whats called 'a safe sludge matrix' that monitors the quality of sludge that can be put to land and have for many years monitored the levels of metals in sludges intended for use as fertiliser to ensure that no toxicity emerges.

Legislation for the use of such chemicals continues to evolve and there are a number of new or updated pieces of legislation dealing with chemicals and their disposal either being implemented or about to be implemented. There is no evidence of acute toxicity but work continues to understand the effects of pharmaceuticals disposed of and particularly their daughter compounds as well as the effects of other organic compounds such as endocrins. Indeed I was pleased to hear that WW are specifically looking into this area with their own research.

I would appreciate other's thoughts on this.