17/03/2005 - The Environment
Agency is working with Southern Water to locate
illegal sewer connections that are polluting
and causing long-term damage to the Hermitage
Stream. Howard Davidson, Environment Agency
Southern Regional Director, will today (Thursday
17 March 2005) visit the Hermitage Stream
to see the progress made so far.
Over the last decade, the Environment Agency
has worked with Havant Borough Council to
help turn the Hermitage Stream back to its
natural state. The concrete lining has been
removed, visual improvements to the surrounding
area have been made and habitat has been created
to encourage wildlife.
The Environment Agency is concerned that,
despite the improvements, the stream’s water
quality is still failing to meet River Ecosystem
Classification targets. The Environment Agency
has taken samples that have indicated foul
water is entering the surface water system
at Leigh Park and polluting the stream.
Surface water systems should only carry clean
rainwater from the surrounding area to the
stream and should not carry sewage because
they discharge directly to watercourses. Investigations
carried out by Southern Water have revealed
that householders have connected foul drainage
pipes to the surface water system.
Howard Davidson, Regional Director for the
Environment Agency Southern Region, said:
"A lot of work has been done to improve
the Hermitage Stream and we have already achieved
a great deal but there is still a long way
to go.
"Some household foul water pipes are
being wrongly connected to surface water systems
and this is greatly damaging the quality of
the stream. We are grateful for the work that
Southern Water has done to track down some
of the illegal connections but we urge householders
to help us help the environment by checking
that their foul water pipes are connected
to the appropriate place and not simply discharging
to the nearest watercourse."
Southern Water’s Regional Sewerage Manager,
Karl Taylor said: "Southern Water and
the Environment Agency have worked together
to significantly improve the water quality
of the Hermitage Stream. However, any bathroom
and kitchen waste pipes that have been wrongly
connected to surface water drains need to
be removed and we will continue to work with
the Environment Agency to encourage people
to do this as soon as possible."
