Formal warning after sewage release

Southern Water has been issued with a formal warning after partially-treated sewage was discharged into the water at Chichester Harbour.

The Environment Agency carried out an investigation into the incident, which took place on August 4.

A spokesman said: “We have issued Southern Water with a formal warning after an equipment failure at its wastewater treatment works at Thornham last month led to partially-treated sewage entering a watercourse near Chichester Harbour.

“Southern Water is very aware of the seriousness with which we view the incident.”

Southern Water has apologised for the incident.

Its spokesman said: “We are sorry that a failure at our Wastewater Treatment Works on the 4 August led to a small release of screened wastewater into the harbour.

“We take these cases very seriously and carried out a thorough investigation while working with the Environment Agency.

“While the impact to public health was very low, no amount of pollution is acceptable to us and we are working hard to reduce and eventually stop all incidents.”

The spokesman added: “Last month we announced and made public our Pollution Incident Reduction Plan.

“As one of the first organisations in the sector to have analysed the challenge in detail and developed a comprehensive plan like this, which has been shared with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Environment Agency.”

Residents and campaigners raised serious concerns following the incident last month.

Sarah Cunliffe, wildlife film-maker at Big Wave Productions, said she was ‘extremely concerned’ to learn of the sewage spill, adding: “The Chichester Harbour is a highly protected triple SSI, and also an important recreational location for thousands of people.”

Dr Ian Hendy, coastal marine ecologist at the University of Portsmouth, and lead science advisor to the ‘Help Our Kelp’ project, echoed her concerns and said the release of sewage water would have ‘ a significant impact to the many marine animals and wildlife in this highly protected area’.

“Our natural coastal ecosystems are vitally important and we need them to mitigate climate and improve our economy, yet we are losing these essential habitats rapidly,” he said.

The Environment Agency previously said the incident had had ‘a limited effect on the environment’.