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JerseyWater
Deputy D Johnson
Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel Scrutiny Office
States Greffe Morler House St Helier JEllDD
20 January 2017 Our ref HJS
Dear Deputy
Scrutiny Review of Nitrates in Jersey's Water
I write further to your invitation to make a written submission to your review of Nitrates in Jersey's streams and watercourses. Below I have provided a synopsis of the current situation, an explanation of how Jersey Water manage nitrates in treated water and our views regarding the States of Jersey Water Management Plan.
1) Nitrate Pollution in Jersey
Jersey's surface (streams, reservoirs, etc) and ground water (boreholes, wells, etc) resources are widely polluted with nitrate from agricultural fertilizer used predominantly in the potato-growing sector to the extent that nitrate levels are amongst the highest in Europe. Nitrate concentrations peak in the potato growing season between January and May at levels consistently well in excess of the 50mg/l regulatory limit for drinking water. Some important resources can peak at over
twice the limit.
A considerable volume of historic data is available to support this. As an example, the graph below shows the maximum, mean and minimum nitrate concentrations entering Val de La Mare West inlet and Queen's Valley, our two largest reservoirs.
Nitrate - Val de La Mare West (Jan - May) Nitrate - Queen's Valley (Jan - May)
100 100
90 90
80 80 N 70 70
60 60
50 50
40 40
30 30
20 20
10 10
0 0
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Max Min Average Regulatory limri
The graphs show that the situation in Queen's Valley stream appears to be improving. However,
average concentrations in both streams during the growing season are consistently above 50mg/l Mulcaster House, Westmount Road, St. Helier . Jersey, JEl IDG
T: 01534 707300 E: customerseivices@jerseywater.je
www.jerseywater.je
' "t, INVESTORS
Gold Jersey Water is the trading name of The Jersey New Waletwotlrs Company Limited. IN PEOPLE
