A warning is given by harbourmaster Lt Colonel John Davis, in a report due to be considered by the Harbour Conservancy next Wednesday at a time when visitor numbers in the highly-popular recreational area are reaching their summer peaks.

Lt Col Davis said the Chichester Harbour Federation and harbour users remained concerned about the levels of sewage being discharged into the harbour from the treatment works and other sources of pollution.

"They do not feel they are getting the full picture from the Environment Agency and Southern Water about the true extent of pollution, nor that sufficient is being done to address the problem," he declared.

Although the conservancy continued to press for better water quality, it did not have the knowledge or resources to be able to hold these organisations properly to account.

It was judged an independent consultant's report should be commissioned to advise on environmental health risks to sailors, what measures could be undertaken to improve the situation, and how achievable these measures might be, given the regulatory framework and government controls on the amount water companies could charge customers to deliver improvements.

Lt Col Davis said improvements at the three waste water treatment works discharging effluent into the harbour came on line in April this year.

Initial indications from water sampling were most promising, and during April and May water quality throughout the harbour was either excellent or good, measured against the European bathing directive.

So it was disappointing at the end of May, after a fairly short but heavy period of rain, sewage that had received only 'primary' treatment – removal of unsightly solids only – was again discharged into the harbour for about ten days.

Water sampling during this period showed water quality at Dell Quay was poor, and failed bathing water directive standards. Elsewhere in the harbour, it met the mandatory or guideline standard.

The conservancy was now being informed by Southern Water whenever primary-treated sewage was being discharged into the harbour, and was informing harbour users accordingly.

"Data gathered from water-quality sampling and the frequency of discharges over the coming year will be correlated with a view to pressing for further improvements in the future," he added.


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