Transcript Hastings, Bexhill and Littlestone Water Quality Project

Hastings, Bexhill and Littlestone
Water Quality Project
Clean Seas Please
What’s this all about
 New European Union sea bathing water
quality standard comes into force in
2015. Twice as stringent.
 Amongst 55 other beaches around the
country, Hastings and Littlestone could
well fail this standard.
 The consequence would be notices
along the beaches and possible impact
on local tourist trade.
 HVA and RVA are working with the
Environment Agency to raise awareness.
What’s this all about
 The visitor economy to
Hastings in 2011 was
worth £239.9 million
and supported 5160
jobs, 15.2% of all jobs
in the town
 30% of visitors said that
going to the beach was
the main reason for
visiting Hastings.
 86% of visitors walked
along the seafront or
went to the beach
What’s this all about
 Hastings has the
largest beach
launched fishing fleet
in Europe.
 The traditional
wooden boats trace
their history back over
1,000 years and are a
tourist attraction
themselves.
What is the problem
This photo was taken at
lunchtime on 8th May
2013. There had been a
heavy shower early that
morning. It shows the
confluence – between
the tennis courts in
Alexandra Park – of the
stream from Old Roar
Gill (entering top left)
and the stream from
Blacklands and Ore
Valley (entering top
right) before heading
seawards (bottom right).
The relative levels of
pollution in the two
tributaries is clearly
evident.
What is the problem
 The problem is the level of bacteria
(E.coli and enterocci) in the sea water
from pollution.
 Southern Water 2 year investigation
found main issue is with illegal
connections to surface water pipes.
 The pollution comes from both domestic
and commercial properties.
What are the issues?
 3 main issues:
 Incorrect plumbing (wrong connections)
 Ragging
 Fats, Oils and Greases
Misconnections
 Waste pipes from bath, sink, toilet,
dishwasher or washing machine are
plumbed into the rain water pipe (surface
water) rather than the sewer (foul water)
pipe.
 Water and other materials in rain water
pipes do not go through a “treatment
works” but flow directly into the sea.
Misconnections
Ragging
 Items that have been put down our toilet
or sink that then attach to the pipes and
cause blockages, decrease water flow
and allow the build up of bacteria.
 The only thing that should be flushed
from the toilet are human waste and
toilet paper, we should try to put
everything else in a bin.
Fats, Oils and Grease
 As a liquid they can be poured down the
drain, but they solidify and harden in the
pipes, causing restricted water flow and
blockages.
 Liquids can be poured into sealable
containers and placed in household waste.
 Solidified deposits can be scrapped and
pans wiped with kitchen towel before
washing.
 Have a strainer over the plug hole to catch
waste food, peelings etc.
What we are doing
 Designing a range of images, posters
and other materials
 Using social media
 Education – Shore Academy and Sussex
Coast college
 Developing a website, app and game
 Yellow Fish
 Attending events
 Talking to groups, organisations,
businesses and tradesmen
What we are doing
What we are doing
What we are doing
What can the LSP do
 Sign up to our Campaign
Formally as the LSP and individually
 Encourage your staff, family and friends
to sign up too
 Add links between your websites and
ours
 Publish an article
 Publicise the campaign where possible
What can we all do
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1. DRAINS
Check your drains. Make sure you are not allowing
dirty water to run into local streams or rivers
because your drains are wrongly connected.
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6. REUSE RAINWATER
Catch rainwater in a water butt and use it for your
garden. This reduces the amount of water running
into surface drains.
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2. DOGS
Clean up after your dog when taking it for a walk. If
left on streets or parks, its excrement will be
washed into the water table.
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3. SEPTIC TANKS
If you house is connected to a septic tank, check
that it is not leaking.
7. LITTER
Do not drop litter on streets or pavements,
especially food waste. This encourages birds, in
particular gulls, whose excrement can also foul
bathing water and beaches.
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4. WASTE
Do not flush wipes, cotton wool, nappies, dental
floss (pictured) and other toiletries down the toilet.
8. LIVESTOCK
Farmers should try to keep cattle and sheep away
from riverbanks to reduce animal excrement that
might get washed off the land.
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5. FAT
Make sure hot fat is not poured down pipes or
flushed down toilets.
9. CARAVANNING
When on holiday, do not empty caravan chemical
toilets into open drains.
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10. IN THE GUTTER
Only pour items down the drain that you would be
happy to swim with.
What can we all do
Misconnections
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Have a look at the connection for
your washing machine or
dishwasher, it should be
connected to the fatter pipe, or
foul water sewer pipe. This is the
same for toilets, bidets, sinks and
baths.
If in doubt ask a plumber to have a
look at it for you.
If you are in rented
accommodation speak to your
landlord.
It is the responsibility of the
property owner to fix the problem
and could incur a penalty if left.
What can we all do
Ragging
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Think about what you are putting in the
toilet before flushing, whether that is at
home or using a public toilet.
Packets that say the contents are
flushable doesn’t mean that the product
goes straight to a treatment plant and/or
removed from the water system.
This includes items such as sanitary or
incontinence products, condoms, contact
lenses, cotton buds or bandages. Any
types of wipes, baby, facial or cleaning.
Razor blades, needles, syringes of
medicines.
Put these items in a bin in your
bathroom.
We all pay for blockages to be resolved
in our water bills.
What flushes down, washes up!
What can we all do
Fats, Oils and Grease
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Pour liquid fats into a sealable container
and dispose in your household waste.
Or leave to congeal and scrap off and
wipe with disposable kitchen paper
before washing.
All pots, pans, crockery and utensils
should be scraped and wiped with
kitchen paper before washing in sink or
dishwasher.
Kitchen paper should then be disposed in
the household waste.
Have a sink strainer to prevent food
waste or peelings from entering your
drains. This can be in bath or shower to
stop hair clogging the drain.
What will we achieve?