States Minutes 29th October 1985

THE STATES assembled on Tuesday, 29th October, 1985 at 10.15 a.m. under the Presidency of the Bailiff ,

Sir Frank Ereaut. ____________

His Excellency The Lieutenant Governor, Admiral Sir William Pillar, G.B.E., K.C.B., was present.

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All members were present with the exception of –

Senator Bernard Thomas Binnington – out of the Island. Senator Pierre François Horsfall – out of the Island. Senator Anne Baal – out of the Island.

Senator John Stephen Rothwell – out of the Island.

Francis Hedley Morel , Deputy of St. Saviour – out of the Island.

Jean Amy Le Maistre, Deputy of St. Helier – out of the Island.

John Philip Farley, Deputy of St. Helier – out of the Island.

Bertram Manning Le Maistre, Deputy of St. Mary – out of the Island.

Carlyle John Le Hérissier Hinault, Deputy of St. John – out of the Island.

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Prayers ____________

Matters lodged.

The following subjects were lodged "au Greffe" –

279   Price : 35p

1. Draft States of Jersey (Amendment No. 4) Law, 198 . P.129/85.

Presented by the Legislation Committee.

2. Draft Census (Amendment No. 2) (Jersey) Law, 198 . P.130/85.

Presented by the Etat Civil Committee.

Public Works Committee: Vote of no confidence and Committee of Inquiry into Water Resources (P.128/85).

Senator Richard Joseph Shenton having given notice that he intended to propose a vote of no confidence in the Public Works Committee, the States decided that the Proposition relative thereto should be considered on 5th November, 1985, before matters lodged au Greffe and already set down for consideration on that day and that consideration of the Proposition of Deputy Robin Ernest Richard Rumboll of St. Helier regarding the Appointment of a Committee of Inquiry into Additional Water Resources (P.128/85) should be the next item of business.

Yields from reservoirs. Question and Answer.

Deputy Corrie Stein of Grouville asked Deputy Donald George Filleul, Deputy of St. Helier , President of the Public Works Committee, the following question –

"Based on figures given in correspondence and reports either from the Chairman of The Jersey New Waterworks Company Limited or Watson Hawksley, the Company's consultants, it appears that whereas an increase in yield of 471 m.g.a. will be needed by the turn of the century, there will be a potential net increase in yield of only 345 m.g.a. and there is therefore likely to be a shortfall of 126 m.g. (26.75 per cent of the total estimated yield for Queen's Valley) when there is a reservoir in the Valley and the desalination plant can no longer be operated.

Can the President say how the Company will make good the shortfall in those circumstances?"

The President of the Public Works Committee replied as follows –

"It is important to understand the basis on which Deputy Stein has calculated the figures used in her question.

In 1980, the figure of 471 million gallons per annum shortfall was arrived at by the application of parameters required by the then Public Works Committee under the presidency of ex-Senator John Averty. These parameters include the following assumptions, in respect of forecasting demand for the year 2000 –

1. That the company's increase in consumers (i.e. the water supply population) would increase by15 per cent. This prediction is supported by the present rate at which dwelling units are being connected.
2. A maximum demand per head of40 gallons per day, which is also supported by current supply figures.
3. No expansion in tourism demand – the industry has in fact been able to maintain its demand for treated water at a more or less constant figure by restraining use and investing in borehole facilities in a number of places.
4. Industrial demand increasing by 10 per cent – this trend is confirmed.
5. 10 per cent saved by metering. The States subsequently decided against domestic metering.
6. Unaccounted for use limited to 16 per cent. The company is now approaching this target.

The  figure  of  471 gallons  per  annum  is  the  difference between  the  yield  of  the  water  supply  system  in  1981 (1,229 m.g.a.  including  300 m.g.a.  from  the  desalination plant)  and  the  estimated  demand  for  the  year  2000 (1,700 m.g.a.).

The potential net increase of 345 million gallons per annum is made up as follows –

1. Yield from Queen's Valley  475 m.g.a.
2. Assume loss of desalination  300 m.g.a. plant  175 m.g.a.
3. Assumed savings in consumption

on the scale realised by severe

restrictions as in 1976.  170 m.g.a. 345 m.g.a.

The difference between 471 m.g. and

345 m.g. =  126 m.g.

There should be little doubt in anyone's mind that a new resource is needed at once, but the plans to meet a shortfall in the year 2000 (or whenever it occurs) can only be made closer to that time when experience of operating the system, with  the  Queen's  Valley  Reservoir  included,  has  been gained  and  a  more  accurate  estimate  of  the  life  of  the desalination plant is possible.

The  Company's  advisers  remain  convinced  that  much advantage is to be gained by an opportunity to examine the structure of the Val de la Mare Dam when its reservoir can be taken out of service; it is also their view that under these conditions, its potential for strengthening or enlargement could be assessed with very much more confidence.

Such an opportunity can only be provided when the Queen's Valley resource is fully commissioned, and it would not be the intention of the Company to enter into such investigation until it became necessary for engineering or water supply reasons."

General Hospital - electricity supply. Deferred Supply. P.113/85.

THE STATES, adopting a Proposition of the Finance and Economics Committee, acceded to the request for the following supplementary vote of credit to be voted out of the General Reserve –

Public Health Committee

General Hospital – electricity supply

(C0681)  £50,000

Review of Housing Policy. Committee of the Whole House.

THE STATES, on the Proposition of the President of the Housing Committee, resolved into a Committee of the Whole House to discuss the Report on the Review of Housing Policy (P.84/85).

The Committee rose at 5.15 p.m.

R.S. GRAY, Deputy Greffier of the States.