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WQ.133/2018
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR INFRASTRUCTURE BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 11th SEPTEMBER 2018
Question
Given that, in 2013, it was estimated that some 9% of properties (all in the country Parishes) were not connected to mains drains, will the Minister state what percentage of properties now fall in that category; and will he explain what plans, if any, there are to connect such properties to the main sewage system?
Answer
We currently have approximately 87% of the Island's resident population connected to the foul sewer system leaving some 13% unconnected using tight tanks/soakaways or package treatment plants. Our aspiration is to increase the 87% connected to 90%. Unfortunately it will not be viable to connect all properties as the cost for very remote properties is extremely high.
Our priority has been building the new sewage treatment facilities at Bellozanne which will be completed in 2022. Our resources have been diverted into delivering this project. Equally important is maintaining our current infrastructure. We are undertaking a series of network refurbishments to prevent surface and ground water infiltration and free up capacity in the network.
We completely support and would like to carry out extensions to the network, however, understandably, we must ensure we do not overload our existing infrastructure. We are reliant on the availability of additional resources. Realistically we can only start to request these for 2020 onwards. However, we do have to ensure there will be both treatment and network capacity to allow the network to be extended.
The waste water strategy which I took to the States for approval in 2014 gives details of how our network is to be extended and also gained States approval for funding in order to construct new sewage treatment facilities.