Coventry City Council notes:
· Residents are deeply concerned about water quality and the impact of regular wastewater discharge, which includes untreated sewage, into our local rivers and the impact on wildlife and human health.
· The UK has the dirtiest rivers in Europe. Here in Coventry the River Sowe has been found to have huge increases in antibiotic-resistant bacteria immediately downstream of the Finham treatment works. Releasing sewage into rivers is no longer an emergency-only situation occurring as a result of severe storms, but an everyday occurrence even in ‘normal’ rainfall, and that we are in a situation of cumulative overload on the sewage and wastewater system.
· Whilst there are long term commitments, there are no plans in place which will address the immediate unacceptable situation either locally by Severn Trent or by national government Both the local Coventry and national planning policy requires a robust approach to both water quality and pollution and we need to consider the cumulative impact. Yet planning consultation documents show that it has not been the practice of council planners to ask Water Companies to report on cumulative impact (i.e. whether or not development may lead to any potential increase in ‘emergency’ discharge into rivers.)
· There have been a number of recent incidents where heavy rain has caused flooding and burst sewage drains in Coventry.
Coventry City Council resolves to:
1) Recognise our obligation to protect Coventry’s rivers, including from the cumulative impacts of pollution, and ensure that this is properly reflected in the forthcoming revision of the local plan.
2) Recognise that there is clear evidence of deterioration of water quality due to cumulative impact of multiple sewage discharge events or ‘sewage overload’.
3) Ensure that an evidence base is compiled that assesses the cumulative impact of sewage discharge and the capacity of drainage and sewage infrastructure so that this is factored into the upcoming revision of the local plan, including the overall level of future development.
4) Seek to better understand the cumulative impact of wastewater discharge including untreated sewage on our local rivers, wildlife and the health of our residents
5) Continue to take a lead on addressing this issue, working constructively with other agencies.
6) Ask the chair of the relevant scrutiny committee to invite the Chief Executive of Severn Trent plus senior representatives from the Environment Agency and Natural England/Natural Resources Wales to attend a meeting to answer questions on the current levels of sewage discharge and the provision of drainage and sewage capacity.
7) Ask Severn Trent, from this date onwards, in its planning consultation responses for major development, to clarify whether it has the information available to assess the impact on the number or duration of sewage discharges into local rivers and the capacity of the sewage and drainage infrastructure, and if it does have this information to share it (noting that this can only be requested not required).
8) Request that planning officers, from now onwards, include in all reports relating to major development a specific section on the impact on watercourses, drainage, and sewage infrastructure, including the potential for the development to affect sewage outflow into watercourses (i.e. cumulative impact), or to flag if this information is not fully available, so that this information (or the lack of it) is clearly and transparently set out.
Minutes:
The following debate was moved by Councillor S Gray and seconded by Councillor E Reeves:
Coventry City Council notes:
· Residents are deeply concerned about water quality and the impact of regular wastewater discharge, which includes untreated sewage, into our local rivers and the impact on wildlife and human health.
· The UK has the dirtiest rivers in Europe. Here in Coventry the River Sowe has been found to have huge increases in antibiotic-resistant bacteria immediately downstream of the Finham treatment works. Releasing sewage into rivers is no longer an emergency-only situation occurring as a result of severe storms, but an everyday occurrence even in ‘normal’ rainfall, and that we are in a situation of cumulative overload on the sewage and wastewater system.
· Whilst there are long term commitments, there are no plans in place which will address the immediate unacceptable situation either locally by Severn Trent or by national government Both the local Coventry and national planning policy requires a robust approach to both water quality and pollution and we need to consider the cumulative impact. Yet planning consultation documents show that it has not been the practice of council planners to ask Water Companies to report on cumulative impact (i.e. whether or not development may lead to any potential increase in ‘emergency’ discharge into rivers.)
· There have been a number of recent incidents where heavy rain has caused flooding and burst sewage drains in Coventry.
Coventry City Council resolves to:
1) Recognise our obligation to protect Coventry’s rivers, including from the cumulative impacts of pollution, and ensure that this is properly reflected in the forthcoming revision of the local plan.
2) Recognise that there is clear evidence of deterioration of water quality due to cumulative impact of multiple sewage discharge events or ‘sewage overload’.
3) Ensure that an evidence base is compiled that assesses the cumulative impact of sewage discharge and the capacity of drainage and sewage infrastructure so that this is factored into the upcoming revision of the local plan, including the overall level of future development.
4) Seek to better understand the cumulative impact of wastewater discharge including untreated sewage on our local rivers, wildlife and the health of our residents
5) Continue to take a lead on addressing this issue, working constructively with other agencies.
6) Ask the chair of the relevant scrutiny committee to invite the Chief Executive of Severn Trent plus senior representatives from the Environment Agency and Natural England/Natural Resources Wales to attend a meeting to answer questions on the current levels of sewage discharge and the provision of drainage and sewage capacity.
7) Ask Severn Trent, from this date onwards, in its planning consultation responses for major development, to clarify whether it has the information available to assess the impact on the number or duration of sewage discharges into local rivers and the capacity of the sewage and drainage infrastructure, and if it does have this information to share it (noting that this can only be requested not required).
8) Request that planning officers, from now onwards, include in all reports relating to major development a specific section on the impact on watercourses, drainage, and sewage infrastructure, including the potential for the development to affect sewage outflow into watercourses (i.e. cumulative impact), or to flag if this information is not fully available, so that this information (or the lack of it) is clearly and transparently set out.
In accordance with Procedure Rule 10 (d) of the Constitution, a Motion without Notice was moved by Councillor M Mutton and seconded by Councillor G Lloyd to refer the above Motion to the appropriate Cabinet Member Meeting.
RESOLVED that the Motion as set out above be referred to the appropriate Cabinet Member meeting.