Southern Water: Havant coucnil agrees to take samples from Langstone Harbour to check quality amid sewage fears

Havant Borough Council’s cabinet has approved a water sampling and testing programme in conjunction with the Langstone Harbour Board and Portsmouth City Council.

Councillors believed it necessary to monitor the water quality due to consistent stormwater discharges by Southern Water which have ‘significant impacts on both human health and the environment’.

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The harbour has two short sea outfalls which discharge storm wastewater when the treatment capacity at Budds Farm is exceeded, normally during heavy rainfall.

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Councillor Elizabeth Lloyd, cabinet lead for local plan, environment and water quality, said at Wednesday’s meeting: ‘As a council, we are not required, nor have a duty, to undertake testing of these waters, however, there is a substantial interest in understanding current water quality within the harbour.

‘Bathing water quality is already monitored by the Environment Agency at Beachlands and Eastoke with results being reported as excellent.

‘However, as part of our corporate strategy, we have pledged to take measures to promote and embed environmental matters and consider environmental impacts in all our decisions to help tackle climate change.

‘This monitoring programme will assist us in achieving a fundamental understanding that will provide us with an ecological value to understanding the environmental impact.’

Council documents state the presence of outfalls and sewer overflows has led to ‘significant public concern’ on water quality and that residents ‘have reported ill health following a visit to Langstone Harbour’.

Mike Owens, from Hayling Sewage Watch said the group ‘fundamentally welcomes this development after years of campaigning’.

He added: ‘If it were not for the exceptional tenacity, interest and persuasion of Cllr Elizabeth Lloyd I feel that this initiative would not have happened.’

The scheme will sample water from seven sites across the harbour over a 20-week period.

The samples will be taken by the Langstone Harbour Board before independent laboratory analysis.

Talking about the plan last month, Steve Pitt from Portsmouth City Council said: ‘We're obviously aware of public concern about seawater quality, especially among swimmers and water sports enthusiasts. We're in regular contact with Stop the Sewage Southsea and other campaigners. We've started this sampling programme because we want to reassure residents and visitors that data is being collected and the situation is being monitored.’