Agenda item

(To receive a report from Brian Kane (Regional Treatment Manager, Anglian Water), which provides the Committee with a summary of the situation regarding odours from Water Recycling Centres)

Consideration was given to a report which provided a summary of the situation regarding odours from the Ingoldmells, Spalding and Fishtoft Water Recycling Centres (previously Sewage Treatment Works).  This report also provided an update on the Boston water Recycling Centre and an update of all Water Recycling Centres that recorded more than five odour complaints in 2015-16.

The Committee was guided through the report, and provided with the opportunity to ask questions to the officers present in relation to the information contained within the report and some of the points raised during discussion included the following:

·         It was queried whether officers would be having a closer look at Glentworth, as there had been 7 complaints received.  Members were advised that all complaints had been received from one customer.  The customer that was reporting the odours was not the closest property to the water recycling centre.  Officers had spoken with neighbours who did not perceive any issue.  This was a difficult situation, as odour loggers had been placed in the property, but the source of the odours could not be found.  Anglian Water continued to work with this customer.

·         It was queried whether the 30 minutes curfew where tankers were not allowed to enter Fishtoft in the morning and afternoon was enough time.  It wa reported that these times (around school drop off and collection times) had been agreed at a parish council meeting.  However, it could be time to review these times.

·         Members were pleased that there was a commitment to long term investment in Spalding.

·         It was commented that rotting pipes made the septicity worse, and it was queried whether septicity damaging the pipes continued to be a problem.  Members were advised that it was unclear if the pipes were still a problem as it was hoped to prevent septicity by dosing the water with nitrate.  To replace the infrastructure would be very expensive.

·         Odour suppression units were still used.

·         Through the Central Lincolnshire Local Plan, there were plans for 34,000 houses over the next 20 years, and it was queried whether Anglian Water would be ensuring that its infrastructure would be able to cope with the increase in sewage.  Members were assured that there was a department which focussed on building and development and Anglian Water were aware of where new growth was planned.

·         The Executive Councillor for Development advised that he was on Anglian Water's Customer Engagement Forum, and the County Council's relationship with Anglian water was very good, and they were one of the few water companies who engaged with the public sector. 

·         There was a massive agenda for growing the local economy on the coast, and there would be a need to plan this growth with Anglian Water for the coastal areas.

·         In terms of growth, the cost of infrastructure was a big issue, and it was queried whether any of the £15m which was proposed for greater Lincolnshire through the devolution deal would go towards funding this new growth.  There would still be a need for further negotiations with government.

·         There were infrastructure pressures and demands, as there was a target for the number of new houses to be built in Lincolnshire.  There would also be demands from companies across the UK looking to establish themselves in Lincolnshire, and it was noted that there should be announcements later in the year.  There was also confidence that Lincolnshire would remain a centre for the RAF.  It was also noted that the growth agenda would continue in Lincolnshire regardless of the outcome of the EU referendum.

RESOLVED

            That the contents of the report presented and the comments made be noted.