'I have no faith in you whatsoever' resident tells Southern Water

A meeting was held in Eastbourne by Southern Water in an attempt to address growing discontent over the long-running problem of foul odours from its sewage works at Langney Point. Rebecca Maer was at the meeting as residents expressed their anger 

It was a very English response: icy politeness followed by barely-disguised fury.  

Around 100 people who could not sit in their gardens for much of last summer due to a stench from the sewage works sat listening patiently to Southern Water executives. One resident described it as a "shitshow".

The company repeatedly put forward assurances that all is being resolved. 

There was a slide presentation, copious apologies and a commitment to pay £25,000 to reopen the Splash Pad in Princes Park by way of community reparation – after pressure from Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde. 

Southern Water assured people £25 million was being spent to replace key equipment and that odour levels had already improved – an assertion challenged by residents.

Better monitoring equipment was also promised to keep residents informed. 

Then the questions started, and still nobody shouted or lost their temper. 

However, the deep fury of people who feel they have been told many different things over the last decade or so soon became clear.

One resident said to loud applause: “I want to know if I can use my garden this summer. We couldn’t last year. Many people are not enjoying the homes we have paid for.” 

Another said: “It definitely still smells. A lot of us don’t report it – it's like walking through treacle to do so. There is too much in the way of reporting – there should be a simple online system.” 

And a third: “You are still coming up with excuses.” 

John Penicud, Southern Water’s managing director of wastewater operations, explained that 2,000 litres a second go through the site to be processed before emerging at an outlet 3.4 km offshore. 

He said the air scrubber units which deal with odour are at the end of their life and that Southern Water was spending £25 million to replace them over the next three years. He said ten people worked at the site every day.  

“I want to start by saying how sorry we are that some of our equipment failed – we are sorry that happened. We are going to make good what has happened,” he said.

Eastbourne Reporter has tried via two sets of questions via Environmental Information Regulations to establish why this sewage works had been emitting a stench for many years, culminating in very strong odours last summer. 

Despite my efforts, questions still remain about why some equipment is in a poor state at the 30-year-old works, notably crucial air scrubbers.  

Many at the meeting at the Sovereign Harbour Community Centre (5 February) also questioned why the odour situation had been allowed to persist for so long.

"There must be plans for a new treatment works. It feels like we are trying to polish a turd here."

MP Josh Babarinde   

One man said what Southern Water was doing sounded reactive and perhaps the treatment works was simply not fit for purpose. 

Another said that the problems were first reported in 2014.  

Eastbourne Reporter has seen letters from Southern Water from 2017 acknowledging "a slight odour” and promising it would be fixed “within a week”.  

One resident of Blakes Way, less than half a mile from the works, told the meeting there was still recently “a stench in my garden – it hit me in the back of my throat”. 

She asked: “If what you have already done has not worked, what is Plan B?” 

Mr Penicud said: “We need to have a better understanding of what is causing this. We want to make it easier for people to tell us when there is a problem.” He promised monitoring and feedback would be put in place, with a page on the company’s website. 

Deb Cornford, of Hardy Drive, told the Eastbourne Reporter after the meeting of her dealings with Southern Water over the odour problem: “I have been doing this for 12 years and I am no further forward.”

Sitting in the front row, she told the meeting she was open-minded and had listened to what had been said but wanted to know why there were “non-stop” sewage smells from 23 to 26 January. 

Addressing Mr Penicud directly, Ms Cornford said: “Everything you’ve said tonight doesn't add up. The scrubbers are not working – it absolutely stank. 

“I have no faith in you whatsoever.” 

Mr Penicud responded “I am so sorry and that is not acceptable. We must try harder. It’s why we have sensors to pick up the smells.”

Ms Cornford said contractors she had spoken to at the sewage works had told her the site was overloaded, had suffered many years of under-investment, that basic maintenance had not been carried out and that “it’s a shitshow”. 

She said for 55 days last year she could not go into her garden. “I want you to fix it.” 

Eastbourne MP Josh Babarinde, council leader Stephen Holt and Sovereign Harbour ward Conservative councillors Kshama Shore, Penny di Cara and Nigel Goodyear were also at the meeting. 

Mr Babarinde told residents: “It is regrettable that Southern Water has been failing our town and that has to stop.  

“We have seen excessive amounts of raw sewage pumped into our sea and we have smelt the disgusting odour that has persisted for years and years.” 

He said of the Splash Pad money: “That is just the start of the community payback. We will not stop holding their feet to the fire until they stop fouling our town. I am convinced we can get to a better place, but there has to be accountability.” 

Eastbourne Borough Council served a formal notice last September on Southern Water under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to resolve the odour problem. I approached the council for an update on 9 January but have not received a response.  

Cllr Holt told the meeting: “The council takes these concerns extremely seriously. We all want the same basic outcome: a system that works.” He added it was involved in a “full legal process”.

Mr Babarinde said, after listening to residents: “It is very clear the issue still persists. The works is not fit for purpose – there must be plans for a new treatment works. It feels like we are trying to polish a turd here.  

“At what point will Southern Water decide that future investment is futile and we would get a new works that takes all these issues inland and away from our town?” 

Mr Penicud: “That is what we are doing as part of our five-year plan.” Earlier in the meeting he had said the treatment works cannot be expanded where it is and there could be a longer-term plan to build a new works from 2050 onwards. 

He also promised genuine transparency about the works. “We are going to publish real-time data on our website and respond to feedback. We will be held to account.”

Asked at the end what he thought of the meeting, the man sitting next to me said: “I'm very unimpressed. If I wanted to move, I wouldn't be able to because of that smell.”

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