In early June, we submitted an urgent request to the Environment Agency (EA) to advertise and consult the public and relevant organisations on the application to vary the permit which would allow untreated wastewater to be discharged into the North Sea at Whitburn.
We have forwarded their response to both South Tyneside MPs, three Sunderland MPs and North of Tyne Mayor Jamie Driscoll's office - so far the only response has been from the latter. Read on for the EA's reply in full.
Environmental permit (245/1207) and your request for a Public Consultation
Thank you for contacting us about the Environmental permit (245/1207) and your request for a Public Consultation.
The Environment Agency (EA) has agreed with Northumbrian Water Limited (NWL) that an update to the permit is necessary and beneficial. We are working with them to ensure a good quality application is received. A permit variation will provide a mechanism to add additional connections of surface storm water where it is appropriate to do so, but will also require the operator to submit any proposed changes for approval prior to installation. This would allow the system to be adapted to reflect the changing pressures associated with population growth and development, but in a way that would ensure that the environment continues to be protected. It is therefore proposed that a variation to the permit will be undertaken.
Once received the application will be assessed by the EA to ensure it contains all the information required. In addition, the sewer connection has been in situ since 2015 with no observed change to the excellent bathing water quality. This provides good evidence that the change has had no environmental impact and assists with the determination of the application. The application for the variation will be classified as standard or minor.
Minor variations to a discharge permit do not usually require public advertisement and consultation. However the EA’s Public Participation Statement explains when and how the public and organisations are consulted on permit applications. As part of a consultation, the EA may publicise certain applications on GOV.UK. This is so the public and any other interested parties are aware of the application and can comment on it.
For applications of high public interest, additional publicising, for example advertising in local newspapers may be undertaken. The EA may also consult for longer and carry out additional engagement. In addition to publicising an application, the EA may consult with some organisations directly. These may include but are not limited to Natural England, Local Authority Environmental Protection Department, Local harbour authority, Local inshore fisheries and conservation authorities in England. The EA usually allows external consultees 20 working days to respond, although this may be extended for applications of high public interest.
An assessment of the level of public interest, including the local petition, will be made when determining the need to publicise and consult on this application. The EA is required to make this decision once we have all relevant information regarding the change and the assessed impact on the environment. An application has not yet been submitted by NWL.
The Environment Agency’s bathing water sample program
The Environment Agency takes up to twenty water samples at each of England’s designated bathing waters during the bathing water season between May and September each year. The bathing water sample program is set prior to the start of the bathing water season, and this dictates when and where samples will be taken. We would only deviate from this schedule if there are health and safety concerns, for example, if the waves are too high for our samplers to enter the sea and take the sample. The sample program is adhered to regardless of weather conditions.
At certain beaches we have models that can predict a decrease in water quality relatively accurately based on various environmental conditions, the main one being rainfall. This is a short term pollution forecast. At these beaches if a decrease in water quality is predicted a warning is issued to the local authority. The local authority will then display signs warning the public that swimming is not advised on that day. If a sample is taken on a day when warning signs are up and it subsequently returns a high result – that result can be discounted from the data set used for beach classification. However, neither of the beaches in close proximity to Whitburn, Seaburn and Roker, are part of the short term pollution forecasting scheme, so none of the samples taken at these locations are discounted and all of the samples are used in the annual classification.
If there is a major pollution or rainfall event, which has the potential to affect bathing waters we do have the ability to call an “abnormal situation”, in this instance the bathing water sampling program can be halted for a particular beach, or the results discounted retrospectively. However, this is rare and we are not aware of this ever happening at Seaburn or Roker.
I hope this response reassures you that we will assess the permit variation as required and will consult as appropriate, and that bathing water samples are taken regardless of weather conditions.
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