Sewage to flow from the White Rock pier tonight
SEWAGE will be discharged from the outfall at the White Rock pier tonight – the cheapest option for Guernsey Water as it carries out work to the main.
Stephen Langlois, Guernsey Water's general manager, said the move would be taken as it would cost around £8,500 less than using sewage tankers to divert the flow from the White Rock pumping station.
News of the discharge raises concerns about pollution and health risks but Environmental Health, which has given its permission for the discharge to take place, said it was the most environmentally-friendly option.
'While foul water discharges to sea that are not via the Belle Greve pumping station should be avoided, all possible mitigation measures have been taken to reduce the time and volume of discharge to a minimum,' said Director of Environmental Health and Pollution Regulation Tobin Cook.
The material going into the sea will not have been subjected to initial screening but will have gone through dilution and dispersal stages.
Mr Langlois said a faulty gate valve on the sewerage main between Salerie Corner and the Belle Greve wastewater centre needed refurbishing.
'To do that we have to shut down the pumping stations at La Piette and at White Rock,' he said.
'To minimise disruption the works will be carried out on Saturday night, between 8pm and 2am.
