Redundant sewage storage tanks in Newport could be brought back into use to help cut the number of spills into the River Medina.
Southern Water has been under fire in recent years for the number of discharges into public water and says it is coming up with solutions.
Speaking at a meeting of the Isle of Wight Council’s harbour committee, Keith Herbert, Southern Water’s area manager, said the public has made it clear discharging storm water when the drainage system gets overwhelmed is now unacceptable.
He said they were slowly working to reduce overflows but still need to discharge in the short term while other solutions are found to prevent flooding.
Newport is served by a combined sewer system — with surface water and foul sewage in the same pipe — and Mr Herbert said he could guarantee if it was a foul-only system no discharges would have to be made.
One way to stop as many discharges was to optimise the use of Southern Water’s sites, so it is to use old sewage works along Fairlee Road.
Mr Herbert said before the bathing season starts in May, 14,000 cubic metres of additional storage will come online and hopefully reduce the number of spills at the site from 90 a year to under 30.
There are 21 wastewater pumping stations in Newport and its surrounding areas that feed the Fairlee Road site before the fluid is transferred to the Sandown Wastewater Treatment Works.
The excess flow will be pumped into the redundant storage tanks to detain it until it can be pumped away.
Neil Bell, Southern Water’s network protection enforcement officer, said 23,000 sewer level monitors and alarms have been installed across its system which helps them be proactive in preventing discharges.
The water company is proposing other ways of reducing outflows, through its Pathfinder project, including giving water butts to some properties and finding misconnections in the drainage system.
Southern Water’s discharges have to be permitted by the Environment Agency. If they are not, the company faces fines and prosecutions.
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