Information request from Anglian Water and the Environment Agency

Questions and answers;

[EA -Environment Agency response; AW - Anglian Water response]

1.Will a new discharge consent be required for any increase in capacity at Colchester STW?

EA - Yes, the water company would need to apply for an increase to the consented Dry Weather Flow of the Waste Water Treatment Works(WwTW) if flows were to exceed what is currently consented. Any increase in consented flow would be accompanied by a review of the consented quality limits to ensure compliance with environmental standards.

AW - If predictions showed that the dry weather flow allowed in the current consent for the STW was to be exceeded then we [..Anglian Water] would need to apply to the Environment Agency (EA) for any increase in flow required. The EA would then undertake a review of the consent.

2.Are future changes to water flow/abstraction factors considered in future management planning?

EA - Yes, through the LDF process, including the preparation of the Water Cycle study, the potential constraints to development due to water supply and disposal are highlighted and appropriately factored in to the proposed development planning.

AW - Water Cycle Studies (WCS) look at the potential impact of development due to growth on water and wastewater services, the environment and local resources. We [..Anglian Water] contribute information which is used in their preparation.

3.How many untreated storm discharges are permitted annually under the current licence?

EA - All storm discharges should be consented, whether they are from the sewerage system or from the storm tanks at the WwTW. It is not policy for us [..the EA] to specify the maximum number of spills per annum as these are weather dependent and outside the control of the water company. The application for consent usually contains an estimate of the spill frequency which has been derived from sewer modeling. We [..the EA] use this information to determine whether the discharge is acceptable.

AW - The number of discharges permitted annually is not usually specified in the consent.

4.How many untreated storm discharges actually occur?

EA - The water company will have records for storm discharges from WwTWs and pumping stations, but may not have records for storm discharges from combined sewage overflows on the sewerage system. The water company are not required to provide us [..the EA]with this information. We [..the EA] receive the information on request. We [..the EA] use routine sampling of rivers and estuaries and modeling techniques to confirm that there are no significant environmental impacts from storm discharges.

AW - Monitoring of our [..Anglian Water] storm discharges is done proactively with alarm limits set at warning levels that allow us [..Anglian Water] time to react appropriately before a discharge may occur. From the information we [..Anglian Water] hold, it is not possible to differentiate between warnings and number of actual discharges.

5.What is the volume of these untreated discharges?

EA - The water company will know the volume discharged from the storm tanks at WwTWs, but may not know about the flow from other storm discharges. Measuring volume of storm sewage, other than from storm tanks, is very difficult.

AW - Flow monitoring of storm discharges is not a consent requirement and is not undertaken so data relating to volume discharged cannot be provided.

6.How are these untreated storm discharges monitored?

EA - The flows through all pumping stations and WwTWs are monitored closely remotely by telemetry. The water company will have records of storm discharge overflow events and their duration. The water company reports to us [..the EA] any non-permitted discharge and we [..the EA] take considered and appropriate action.

AW - As mentioned previously, monitoring of our [..Anglian Water] storm discharges is done proactively with alarm limits set at warning levels that allow us [..Anglian Water] time to react appropriately before a discharge may occur. Discharges are monitored via a telemetry system. Generally the system will use a level detector to generate a telemetry signal to record when an alarm has been triggered.

7.How is the timing of monitoring adjusted to effectively monitor these discharges?

EA - We [..the EA] do not specifically monitor storm discharges but we [..the EA] do use routine sampling and where appropriate modeling techniques to confirm that there are no significant environmental impacts.

AW - Please see our response to 6. above. Where monitoring is required by the consent, discharges are effectively continuously monitored by the telemetry system. If your [.. the CEP] question is in relation to monitoring the quality of the receiving watercourse then this is the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

8.What monitoring is undertaken by Anglian Water under the OSM programme and where are the results available?

EA - The water company have been undertaking monthly sampling of Colchester WwTW final effluent since April 2009. They have a duty to analyse all consented determinands and have been reporting back to us [..the EA] as required. The results are available from us [..the EA] on the Public Register. There has only been one non-compliant sample (ammonia) in the last two years.

AW - We [..Anglian Water] have 10 STW's which discharge either directly or indirectly into the Colne Estuary. Discharges from these STWs are currently sampled 12 times a year. The results of our monitoring are provided on a regular basis to the EA and are available on their Public Register.

9.What level of bacterial monitoring is undertaken in the upper estuary?

EA - Routine monitoring for Faecal coliforms is undertaken off Bateman's Tower and in the Pyefleet Channel for Shellfish waters Directive reporting purposes. For the last couple of years bacteriological surveys have been undertaken at a number of points in the estuary to support the water company periodic review and to provide evidence for initiating improvements to the WwTWs (see 11 below).

AW - This monitoring is the responsibility of the Environment Agency.

10.What is the Agency advice regarding in-water recreational activities in the upper estuary?

EA - We [..the EA] advise that people should only swim in approved areas - designated bathing waters. Water quality cannot be guaranteed at any other location. This advice applies equally to tidal and non-tidal waters. People should seek advice from the local public health department should they wish to swim in waters other than those designated as bathing waters.

AW - This advice should be sought from the Environment Agency.

11.What plans are there in place to reduce bacterial inputs and allow the Shellfish Water classification to be upgraded?

EA - Both Colchester and Brightlingsea WwTW have had schemes approved to reduce the bacterial load in the final effluent. In addition, the Brightlingsea (Mill Street) WwTW is to be closed, with flows redirected to the main Brightlingsea works.

AW - During the next water industry investment period (2010 to 2015), we [..Anglian Water] will be investing in schemes at Colchester and Brightlingsea STWs to reduce bacterial levels in our [..Anglian Water] final effluent discharges at these works. The associated work is to be completed by 31 March 2013.