What can we do about problematic pipes and so much water?

The Isle of Wight Society invited Southern Water, Surfers against Sewage and the Solent Protection Society to speak at their recent meeting.

Currently, one percent of England’s area is covered with impermeable roofs and concrete each year.

This poses difficulties in times of heavy rain. Where does all the water go?

The main problem we have on the island is that our old pipe system sends rainwater runoff and wastewater flow from toilets and flushing into the same pipe.

Southern Water built a reduction tank at York Avenue Recreation Ground, East Cowes many years ago (Image: IW Society)

Many residential developments have separate pipe systems, which then have to merge into a single collecting pipe at the exit of the settlement.

This means that all rainwater is sent to Sandown along with wastewater and has to pass through the treatment zones.

To combat this, Sandown wastewater treatment works are currently building a huge treatment basin – but if the island experiences very heavy rainfall it will be filled within 30 minutes.

Emergency measures must then be taken and partially treated wastewater must be able to flow into the sea.

Saving water is important because the south has hotter summers and less rainfall. (Image: Southern Water) (Image: Southern Water)

So what other options are available to us?

In the short term, we can all try to reduce the amount of rainwater flowing into the sewer system by diverting our roof water into slow-draining rain barrels or flower pots.

Southern Water aims to collect rain from the largest roof areas into suitable rain-only pipes, which may be separate from the sewer pipes.

You know what roofs are involved and have already started on them.

Riverside Centre, view from above (Image: Isle of Wight County Press) Another case where rainwater can be diverted away from contaminated sewer pipes is in large parking areas.

If you have a large, impervious driveway surface on your home, there are grants available to convert it into a surface through which rain can penetrate.

Historically, the island began addressing Newport’s sewage concerns in 1895 when a large tank was built and the pumping station (now part of the Riverside Center) was used to pump sewage into the river at low tide.

So we headed downstream to Cowes! Next came treatment work at Fairlee in 1935.

Attenuation tanks were built elsewhere on the island.

In East Cowes there is a large recreational area under York Avenue.

This should catch all of the runoff precipitation.

Unfortunately, it turned out that contaminated wastewater was also being discharged there.

This often occurs when bathrooms are installed in old homes, but the plumbing has been connected to the wrong plumbing.

So what can we do?

Pay higher water bills so the water company can install new one-way pipe systems.

We use less water ourselves.

And continue to lobby our MPs to ensure the problem is fixed and not simply washed out to sea and into our rivers.