Agenda item

Members were advised about the Bathing Water Directive, including how bathing waters were classified annually into four categories: poor, sufficient, good, and excellent. It was highlighted that Reighton, Runswick Bay, and Scarborough North had slipped from excellent to good classifications, whilst Scarborough South Bay remained at poor. An update was also provided regarding Aquarium top which had seen a significant reduction in spills due to the redirection of sewage and surface water to the Toll House. Yorkshire Water had planned investment for 2020-2025 of £147m but had now announced this would be increased by a further £180m. Further investment was planned from 2025-2030 of £1bn which would aim to improve coastal assets., The programme for this work was under development.

Following presentation of the report, questions from members concerned:

-        Disappointment that according to the latest bathing water quality classifications Scarborough South remained poor and that Runswick Bay, Reighton and Scarborough North had all dropped from excellent to good

-       The problem of flash floods in Eastborough in Scarborough taking untreated sewage in a stream down to the sea

-       The financial contribution of Yorkshire Water to next year’s Environment Agency investigation

-       How much of Yorkshire Water’s additional investment planned in high discharge sites would fall to the bill payer

-       How could we be sure that the works planned for Wheatcroft combined sewer overflow would be effective?

-       Would this investment in storage capacity on the coast have an impact on infrastructure inland? – this was not just a coastal problem

-       Were there plans to build more reservoirs in the locality?

-       Impact of significant local housing allocations on Yorkshire Water’s infrastructure

-       Surface water flooding on Scalby Road and Moor Lane

-       How to promote the retrofitting of grey water recycling systems

-       The planned investment in surface water separation in the Whitby area

-       Sewage discharges in Whitby Harbour

In reply members were advised that:

-       Yorkshire Water would raise the Eastborough flash floods with NYC drainage engineers

-       Yorkshire Water was currently in discussion with the Bathing Water Partnership in respect of partners’ financial contributions to the Environment Agency’s planned investigations

-       The £147m originally identified for the AMP 2020-25 had been committed through Yorkshire Water’s business planning process and signed off by Ofwat in accordance with government guidance.  Since then public opinion had shifted prompting this additional investment.  Details of the impact of this additional investment on bill payers would be provided to the committee. The following response was provided after the committee “As our bill structure for the period 2020-2025 had already been determined there will be no additional impact to billpayers from this investment.”

-       Yorkshire Water would provide further details of the £1.3m surface water separation project in the Whitby area. The press release outlining the details of the project in Whitby is attached to these minutes with further details provided.

-       There was no statutory obligation for developers and households to retrofit grey water recycling systems.  Yorkshire Water identified street improvements, for example, retrofitting of a surface water drainage system in Hull.  Solutions had to be cost-effective for all partners.

-       No new reservoirs were planned in the draft Water Management Plan

-       The grid network in Yorkshire enabled water to be moved from one area to another to meet demand

Resolved – That the presentation be noted.