WET News

JANUARY 2016 WET NEWS 9 Ragging from an outfall discharging into Alexandra Park Stream have been identified. It was envisaged that direct misconnection would be the main source of pollution. However, the extensive survey work identified that indirect misconnections were the main source of pollution. Misconnections are when foul sewers carrying wastewater from homes to the town's treatment works are wrongly connected into surface water pipes through which rainwater is released into the sea. Indirect misconnections occur when a foul sewer running through an open dual manhole becomes blocked. As a result, the sewage builds up and tips into the surface water network. The survey identified a small number of misconnected properties. It is estimated that the removal of these indirect misconnections has reduced E. coli being discharged into Alexandra Park Stream by 47.9 billion E. coli/day. An assessment of the three overflows in the catchment was carried out by Southern Water, to determine what risk they posed to the bathing water based on frequency and scale of pollution. Following a review of historical spill events, it was concluded that the spill frequency of the overflows in Hastings was not regular enough during a bathing season to have an effect upon the classification of the Hastings bathing water. To help communicate this wide-ranging project to the people of Hastings, a community-led campaign called 'Clean Seas Please' was set up in March 2013. It is managed by Hastings Voluntary Action and Rother Voluntary Action, and supported by the EA and Southern Water. Volunteers from Clean Seas Please held a series of high profile events across the town. The wide-ranging and successful campaign focused on encouraging people to check their domestic plumbing for misconnections and to only flush the three Ps – pee, poo and paper – and to put everything else in the bin. Richard O'Callaghan, Coastal Environment manager for the EA, says: "It is great news for Hastings but it's crucial that we continue to work in partnership to address the effect that pollution is having on bathing water quality. Having quality beaches and bathing water is not only good for the water environment, but also for tourism and local economies too." The impact of this collaborative project has resulted in Hastings Bathing Waters exceeding the targeted "sufficient" classification and achieving a strong "good". Southern Water has so far invested more than £3M in the work and further surveys are now being carried out in north- east Hastings. The collaboration will continue to protect and sustain the classification achieved. n Rob McTaggart, senior principal civil engineer at MWH, is strategic solution provider technical lead on the Hastings project. ● Hear about the latest research and smart technologies that are transforming the water industry ● Learn how your peers are utilising smart networks for business success in both drinking water and wastewater ● Discover how innovative data display can enhance the customer experience SMART WATER NETWORKS CONFERENCE 17 MARCH 2016 | BIRMINGHAM BOOK NOW www.wwt-smartnetworks.net FOLLOW US @WWTlive #smartnetworks SUPPORTED BY Bob Taylor Managing Director Bournemouth Water Mike Bishop Head of Operational Control and Development Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Dave Ward Head of Networks Anglian Water Olga Brzezinska Research and Development Manager Severn Trent Water Dennis Dellow Networks Manager Northumbrian Water Jeremy Heath Innovation Manager Sutton and East Surrey Water John Bridgeman Professor of Environmental Engineering University of Birmingham EXPERT SPEAKERS INCLUDE: CHAIR: SMART WAYS TO STAY AHEAD IN WATER This conference will provide you with the opportunity to: WWTsmartnet-HPHad.indd 1 11/11/2015 17:02 A defective open dual manhole "This is fantastic news for Hastings and demonstrates just how successful this collaborative way of working can be..." John Spence, Southern Water

• Cover