Sewage plant ‘could cost as much as £250m’
Wednesday 8th February 2012, 10:16AM GMT.
The outfall running from Bellozanne into St Aubin’s Bay
A NEW sewage plant could cost as much as £250 million – four times the estimate provided by the Transport department, the Environment Minister has warned.
Deputy Rob Duhamel said that Jersey should not take the cheap option and duck out of its responsibility to find a sustainable and environmentally responsible solution to deal with human waste.
‘We need the best available technology to deal with our liquid waste, rather than getting rid of the existing type of plant and replacing it with old-fashioned technology,’ he said. ‘At the moment we are at the stage of having tentative discussions with TTS about the things that the Chief Minister suggested when he chose me to take over the Environment ministry – that I would be the environmental conscience for the States and the Island.’
Read Wednesday’s JEP for the full story
Read the full story in the Jersey Evening Post. Click here for subscription details. Individual editions are also available online.
The Queen's Diamond Jubilee
JEP Jubilee Editions
Saturday 2 June: Guide to Celebrations
Wednesday 6 June: Souvenir of Events
View The Queen in Jersey supplement
Travel
To, from and around the Island
Airport Arrivals/Departures
Harbours Arrivals/Departures
Bus Information/Timetables
Rob wake up the coffers are empty, do we really need this plant now, can it wait? if so shelve it, the supply of money from taxed to death locals is running short. New taxes including a pooh tax is taking the pi**, stop spending money we don’t have the good old days are long gone.
There was an excellent letter by John Dix in the letters section which at this time comments can’t be posted. He suggested closing the J cat loophole effectively creating 1500 local jobs for local people, this and other measures should be considered, lets start looking to provide work for locals, save not spend money and tighten the belt while there’s any waistline left.
Report abuse
so now thats another pleasure gone. £50 per trip to the loo
Report abuse
So is that about £400 million then ?
Report abuse
If it is going to be that expensive, can’t we just build a long pipeline out to sea and dispose it untreated there?
Report abuse
‘At the moment we are at the stage of having tentative discussions with TTS about the things that the Chief Minister suggested when he chose me to take over the Environment ministry – that I would be the environmental conscience for the States and the Island.
Just what we need!Another Minister with an Adonis Complex!
Report abuse
Its good to see joined up Government! Hopeless ! Goodness know what Rob Duhamel and Kevin Lewis would be doing if they were not in the states. Unemployable
Report abuse
HERE we go again………….lets make it the best in the world attitude….NOBODY has learnt anything about costs!!!!!
Report abuse
And we could have a pipeline from Guernsey us so they could send us their poo them and we could process it for a fee or maybe tankers moored off Corbiere….
The island is skint and getting skinter by the day, we are stuck in a God awful recession that could go for years, we do not have £250M!
Report abuse
What the hell are these politians trying to do here. An equivalent per capita cost for the UK would be around £155 Billion. Is he mad or something? Even at say £50m then that would stand the UK public a cost of around £31 Billion. They just wouldn,t stand for it, and neither should we. Get rid of these hair-brained ideas one and for all and stop trying to live beyond our means!!! Maybe something does need to be done but for heavens sake use stop these ludicrously expensive Capital Projects getting out of hand, we,ve had enough of them. Buy a system that suits our own needs, not some state-of-the-art solution which lets our Politicians run around getting patted on the back by tree huggers. PS. Adisers have told us that this is the system we need etc… blah blah blah. Well they would do wouldn,t they, they want to up-sell.
Report abuse
The phrase “guilding the turd” springs to mind. We’re not that ‘effluent!
Can we get a system that works for the right price?
p.s. If buying from the EU or anywhere else with funny money, please lock in a fx rate this time.
Report abuse
So from an estimate of £60m up at a stroke to £250m sounds about right for that lot who aspire for membership to the asylum in the Royal Square.
Austerity times bah, no such thing here eh? Come on let us have the gold plated, environmentally responsible and most expensive sewage farm that money can buy.
And why not? all we have to do is raise a few bob here and there and hey presto it will be paid for.
That shower really are having a laugh are they not, thought £60m was a bit expensive? Then in come the tree huggers and it shoots up to £250m, so after a bit of debating I suppose we will finish up with a figure North of £120M, double the first estimate and we will all be told what a bargain we have bought.
You really could not make this stuff up, let’s all go visit planet Zog.
Report abuse
Jersey calling, Jersey calling.
Uh Oh.
Factor in the consultants report fees, being bedazzled then ripped off with an out of date system, failing to hedge the cost versus the underlying price and the usual kick backs – lets round it up to a cool £500 million.
Which is about the amount in the rainy day fund.
How about we do a deal with Guernsey …. we take their rubbish, they take our crap ?
Report abuse
If it has to be paid in Euros make that 300M
gst at 10% here we come, easy option for overspenders.
Report abuse
Thank Goodness ! , a politician not afraid to say the unpalatable truth. We have been labouring under the ‘everything in the garden is rosy’ mantra for too long.
Now all we have to do is get those businesses that support the sewage systems of the British Virgin Islands, Dublin, London, IoM etc to actually pay something towards the island their businesses are in, not forgetting our 1,1 k’s who now pay 1% on their Jersey businesses( and their effluent) .This is a burden to be shared both fiscally and environmentally lets not allow the Treasury Minister to drop this on middle Jersey alone.
Report abuse
so with 100,000 people thats £2500 each.
Report abuse
The sewage is bound to be high in nitrates because the water is. Jersey Water have a derogation for this because of the fertiliser put on the land so it stands to reason that the same could apply to sewage.
This is from the JW site:
Nitrates
The law places a level of 50mg/l as the maximum allowable concentration (MAC) of nitrates that should be present in treated water. The Company has been granted a derogation allowing 33% of samples in any one year to exceed the 50mg/ whilst none can exceed 70mg/l.
The derogation is necessary as the Company has no control over the use of the land from which the water is collected. The use of nitrogenous fertilizers by farmers results in nitrate pollution of the island’s waterways. Until such time as water catchment management areas are established (which will control the use of fertilisers in certain areas), the situation is likely to remain unchanged.
Report abuse
This would be the hidden reason behind water metering-they will tax you on sewage output according to water used.
If you don’t want a water meter say so- there is nothing in the water law that allows the water company to fit a meter without the housholder’s consent.
Report abuse
Until the state knows how much you are using the sewers they can’t charge can they? I said previously many times on here that this was a major reason for water metering no one else seemed to have sussed this out for some reason.
I cringe when I hear companies using the word free. There is always a cost and it will be recovered at some point under the guise of something else.
Report abuse
Guernsey politicians have today voted not to spend any extra money on treating their sewage as “it would be a waste of money” and they will continue pumping it out into the sea.
I admit my initial reaction was one of distaste but I’m starting to wonder if their technical advisors know something we don’t.
Perhaps we could ask them?
Report abuse
This really is crazy! £250 million what planet is he on? we used to pump most of our sewage of our directly into Harve des Pas and a few hundred yards into St Aubins bay. I really do not know why we should not continue to dispose of our waste in a similar way, but feed it further offshore. If the disposal was timed with tidal movements there would be minimal inpact. There is no other method which is more natural!
Report abuse
Interestingly, Guernsey have just voted against building a £50M sewage treatment plant, and are going to continue pumping raw sewage into the sea, but extend the length of the outflow pipe.
http://www.channelonline.tv/channelonline/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=498105
Report abuse
Civil Servants have this island in a death grip….they have constantly clamoured for BIG high spend projects.Projects equal self justification…we are needed…Honest we are …now let’s see what else we can do….The incinerator is a prime example of what not to do with waste and is a dinosaur…did they admit it…NO…so to justify buying the wrong thing they wish to pollute our environment and contaminate our air quality even further by importing waste from Guernsey….failing to note we can not cope with and do not know how to dispose of the Toxic Flyash…I know let’s import even more….never mind the population,never mind the Taxpayer,never mind the childrens lungs.. see http://www.whale.to/vaccine/steenis2html
Report abuse
the problem is too many people addicted to 2/3 baths/showers per day. considering that jersey’s economy is in terminal decline the problem will largely decrease by itself. the sewage works is NOT REGULARLY FAILING, it is just storm water entering the system. STOP THE LEAKS/STORM PROBLEMS
Report abuse
Interesting. Why do you think Jersey’s economy in terminal decline?
Report abuse
of course jersey’s ecomomy is in serious decline, i work in banking and my coleagues have just heard of HUGE reduction in jobs for sept’12. also why are so many homeowners desperately trying to sell, and new builds selling for 20% off asking price.SMELL THE COFFEE- THE PARTY IS OVER
Report abuse
Ditto. The Private Bank i work in is consolidating its business in Guernsey. 40/50% reduction in headcount.
Report abuse
Terminal decline means Jersey will eventually go bankrupt. I don’t believe it will. What you’re seeing is the end of an over inflated boom for a more stable economy and it is the inefficient excess that is being trimmed.
Report abuse
Yes that’s right no real problems only bank jobs falling like 9 pins, all other sectors laying off staff, tax revenues falling, wages falling, house prices falling, cost of living going through the roof and the council of muppets putting up GST to try and prop everything up.
Wake up and smell the coffee quite a few others have hence they are upping sticks for places like NZ and Oz who have a future to look forward to.
You know there are serious problems when the rich start taking profits by liquidating their property portfolios. They know by getting out near the top they can come in again at a lower level and increase their property portfolio for the same or less money.
Jersey is in dire straights, not that the government would say so. Don’t want to panic the masses and all that.
Report abuse
Two hundred and fifty million!!!!!
Despite all the “pretend” millionaires, horray Henrys,and Range Rover drivers,i never imagined Jersey was so full of Sh*t!
Report abuse
Funniest comment I’ve read all week!
Report abuse
£250 million! What was his suggestion, send it into space?!
Report abuse
THAT WHICH I HATH DONE,..in that there bucket! – LET NO MAN SPILL ASSUNDER. so saith the laird.
Report abuse
in the words of PENELOPE KEITH…… WELL THANKYOU VERY MUCH!
Report abuse
My sides hurt…. please someone stop it!
Report abuse
When the whole lot collapses there will be no need for such a sewerage system as most will leave to try and get a job elsewhere. As the population will be drastically cut it will be redundant.
Report abuse
i just knew it would come to this – TAXED OUT OF EXISTANCE then when you finally get some relief you get EATEN BY A BEAR… thankyou very much phil ozouf
Report abuse