Council Presses Southern Water Over Sewage, Flooding And Infrastructure Concerns

Senior Isle of Wight councillors have challenged Southern Water over a range of long-standing concerns, including sewage discharges, flooding, water quality and ageing infrastructure across the Island.

The issues were discussed during a meeting at County Hall last week attended by Southern Water's chief executive Lawrence Gosden, chief operating officer Tim McMahon and members of the company's leadership team.

Councillors raised concerns about several locations across the Island, including Bembridge, Brighstone, East Cowes and parts of the West Wight.

Questions were asked about sewage outfalls, repeated flooding incidents, combined sewer overflows and the timescales for planned improvements.

Particular attention was given to Brighstone sewage treatment works, where councillors sought clarification on future upgrades, noting the site is not currently included in Southern Water's listed programme of improvements.

Recent incidents in East Cowes were also discussed, including untreated sewage flowing along Millfield Avenue and into nearby gardens and the sea, which led to temporary bathing water warnings and damage to the road surface.

Councillors asked when repairs would be completed and sought assurances over the resilience of local infrastructure.

Concerns were also raised about the use of Albany Green as an emergency wastewater transfer point, where tanker operations have been used during network failures.

Councillors called for a longer-term solution, while issues linked to the Springhill pumping station were also discussed.

The impact of utility works on the Island's road network formed another key part of the meeting.

Councillors urged better coordination between Southern Water, Island Roads and other utility companies, and questioned the frequent use of emergency classifications for roadworks, which can reduce opportunities for advance planning and public communication.

Southern Water acknowledged that its services on the Isle of Wight have not always met expected standards and apologised for previous shortcomings.

The company said the Island's water and wastewater network is among the oldest in the country and that significant investment will be needed to address the challenges.

Southern Water confirmed it is investing more than £67 million on the Isle of Wight, including work aimed at reducing storm overflows at locations such as Cowes, Gurnard, Ryde and Freshwater.

The company said it is also upgrading infrastructure, trialling new technology and working to reduce the amount of rainwater entering the sewer network.

The meeting also explored longer-term solutions, including sustainable drainage schemes, improved coordination of utility works, greater public reporting of sewage incidents and the potential development of new freshwater sources to improve the Island's water resilience.

Both the council and Southern Water agreed to continue working together and establish clearer arrangements for future engagement and accountability.

Speaking after the meeting, Southern Water chief executive Lawrence Gosden apologised to residents whose expectations had not been met and said the company would continue investing in improvements while engaging with local communities.

Simon Moon, the Isle of Wight Council's strategic director for community services, said residents expected both immediate improvements and long-term investment, adding that future discussions would be needed to ensure commitments are delivered.