Southern Water says brown sea and strange growths in water between Hayling Island and Langstone 'are not sewage'

Southern Water says it does not think that brown water and strange growths spotted at Langstone are sewage.

An early-morning kayaker reported seawater to be in a disgusting condition on Saturday morning, posting pictures online. She was convinced that what she saw was sewage, saying she is aware of what algal blooms look like - and that there were also wet wipes in the area.

Hundreds of people have seen her post and the News’s story on social media, with many also convinced that the waters near the Ship Inn had been polluted by sewage. Many people labelled it disgusting.

On Sunday Southern Water reported the results of its investigation, saying: “Following our precautionary site investigations and checks of our wastewater assets, we found no evidence to suggest these reports are linked to our network. There have been no storm overflow releases in the area, as shown on our Rivers and Seas Watch service, and all relevant assets are operating normally.

“We understand the concern that reports like this can cause for local residents and visitors, particularly during the summer when many people are enjoying the coastline.

“At this time of year, naturally occurring algae blooms can sometimes create a creamy-brown scum on the water and produce a smell similar to rotting eggs, which can easily be mistaken for sewage. While our investigations have not identified any issues with our wastewater network, any assessment of the source of the material reported would sit with the Environment Agency.”

Southern Water has directed people to its web page about algal blooms for more information

On Saturday Southern Water told The News it was sending its contractor Lanes to investigate.

It said then that it had not had any storm overflow releases in the area, and that a check of its “assets” nearby, including the wastewater treatment works at Budds Lane in Havant, and pumping stations did not show any issues, and that everything was operating as it should.

The Surfers Against Sewage discharge alert system has also not recorded any recent spills from Budds Farm, with the most recent coming in June. From June 2 to June 3 there was a discharge of 21 hours.

Green Party councillor Mark Coates, who represents Hayling East on Havant Borough Council, said while the pictures of the water were unpleasant, it was not clear at this stage whether it was a sewage discharge or not. But he said the public reaction to the pictures - with most people assuming that it was sewage - was a telling clue about how Southern Water is perceived on Hayling and across the region.

Cllr Coates said: “I’m grateful that Southern Water has taken it seriously, but what it does give rise to is the broader trust issue. Southern Water’s reputation is very poor, like other water companies since privatisation. We have lost the extra regulation that we had as part of Europe and it’s hard not to believe that some water companies are not taking advantage of this.

“There’s a long way to go in restoring public trust. And with the £1bn reservoir coming up, Southern Water are a long way from getting support for the waste water recycling project. Whether or not this is sewage, you just have to read the comments [on social media] to see how bad Southern Water’s reputation has become.”

Portsmouth City Council has launched a review of Southern Water’s handling of sewage pollution, saying it will monitor discharges and water quality in Portsmouth Harbour and Langstone Harbour. It has invited evidence from Southern Water, campaign groups and academics, and will examine the extent of the problem, which measures are being taken to fix this, and whether more needs to be done.

Last month Southern Water was fined £7.1m after repeated illegal sewage pollution incidents forced the closure of beaches in Kent, in case that the government said exposed “serious failures in the company’s management of wastewater.”

Canterbury Crown Court heard how preventable equipment failures and poor operational oversight led to repeated discharges of untreated sewage between 2019 and 2021, some at the height of summer.

The prosecution came almost exactly five years after Southern Water received a record £90m fine for nearly 7,000 illegal sewage discharges.