SAS campaigners are recently back from Guernsey after launching a campaign to bring a full sewage treatment programme to the island. For years the island has been following the Victorian ‘pump and dump’ philosophy that discharges raw sewage to sea with only preliminary treatment. Click here to download a petition (PDF)

An ‘SAS Hitsquad’ made a whirlwind visit to the island with the support of Guernsey locals. Holding a public meeting with kind support from the Guernsey Yacht Club we found ourselves amongst a packed room itching to find out more about the solution and how to put them into place. Over 50 people and press made the event standing room only.

The following morning with a 20 strong Hitsquad we took our campaign call to the government buildings of the States of Guernsey, presenting a letter of protest to Deputy Bell, Public Services Minister. We were told in a meeting that the Government would address the issue of full sewage treatment in a report that is due before the States early next year.

Between now and then SAS will keep up the pressure on the Government and have launched a petition that calls on the Government to adopt a full sewage treatment policy. A copy of the petition can be downloaded here to collect signatures on. The petition should be returned to SAS Head Office by the 1st December 2004.

SAS has been dismayed by the low level of investment the island’s sewerage infrastructure has seen, especially in light of Jersey’s embracement of a full sewage treatment policy in the early 1990’s. With the use of Ultraviolet (UV) Light Disinfection – a form of tertiary level sewage treatment Jersey has become a haven for watersports enthusiasts and has boosted is economy through a healthy tourism industry backed up by clean and safe water. Guernsey has to be missing out!

Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says: “SAS will work hard to ensure Guernsey’s recreational water users, bathers and tourists get the clean and safe water they deserve by treating their sewage properly before discharge to sea. We urge everyone concerned with improving the system to sign the petition as the first step in putting this campaign at the top of the political agenda”.

For more information please contact Richard Hardy on Tel: 01872 553001 or Mob: 07711 767548