Issue - meetings

Report of the Director – Neighbourhoods

The Chairman reminded the Group that the Scrutiny Matrix submitted specified that Councillors wanted to understand the situation in Rushcliffe regarding the sewage infrastructure and any unlawful discharges.

Richard Cooper, Sustainable Places Team Leader at the Environment Agency delivered a presentation outlining planning and wastewater from the perspective of the Environment Agency.

Mr Cooper advised the Group that in respect of strategic planning the Environment Agency would normally provide comment on documents that form part of a local plan, including Water Cycle Strategy, Strategic Flood risk Assessments, Surface Water Management Plans, Strategic Infrastructure Plans, Environmental or Green Infrastructure Study, Strategic Housing and Employment Land Availability Assessments as well as main planning documents (Local Plans). Mr Cooper advised that in most cases such comments would be in the line of:

·       All development should connect to the existing foul drainage network

·       Development will need to ensure there’s available capacity within;

a)    The receiving sewerage network; and

b)    The sewage treatment works

·       Developers and the Local Planning Authority should confirm available capacity with the water company prior to allocating sites

·       Development and Growth should not impact on the quality of watercourses in the Borough

It was noted that in respect of developmental planning the Environment agency would respond to a major development (10 or more dwellings) or where a proposal is not to connect to mains drainage.

Mr Cooper provided the drainage hierarchy as follows:

1.     Infiltration to ground

2.     Discharge to surface waterbody

3.     Discharge to surface water sewer/highway drain or other

4.     To a combined sewer

The group were provided with an explanation of how the sewerage system works, from wastewater (foul) being flushed away from properties, flowing to a local wastewater treatment works (WWTW), to then arriving for treatment before being discharged back into the watercourse. It was noted that in older systems both foul and surface water use the same pipe (combined system) and newer systems have separate pipes. However, whilst new housing schemes will have separate systems, it does not mean the system further downstream is separate.

In respect of rainwater some WWTW have storm tanks that provide storage when the incoming flow is greater than the capacity to treat. However, if the storm tanks are full, then to prevent the treatment works being flooded or the foul water backing up, the wastewater is allowed to spill. If pumping stations fail or breakdown then these too are allowed to spill. It was noted that such spills are monitored by the Government.

Mr Cooper explained that the Environment Agency administrates and regulates wastewater spills under the Environmental Permitting Regulations, adding that there is no limit on how often a storm overflow operates providing it is compliant with the permit. It was noted that the WWTW at Cotgrave has closed with the Radcliffe on Trent WWTW now receiving their sewage, adding that discharges are made directly into the River Trent. Mr Cooper advised that the WWTW at Radcliffe on Trent does have limits on when it should overflow but not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 7