Scottish Water "Open Day"

[Ship called Dignity]

Thought I would highlight this on here. It is really important that the efforts of the Task Force are supported on Monday. Hopefully more can be posted on here

There is to be a Scottish Water "Open Day" in the Town Hall from 4-7pm on 30th October. You should all go along and make your views known to Scottish Water. We have asked for a Public Meeting but they appear to be running scared - not surprising under the circumstances!

[hoots the scoop]

Can you ask them "hoot is the Scoop" as this is a joke....

[Task Force]

Not sure what you mean here! Do you mean that the Task Force is a joke, or that Scottish Water is a joke or that the current situation is a joke? We hope you mean the latter! The situation is that "Phase 1" has not delivered the promised improvements - which were that having put in bigger pumps at Kinloch Park and more treatment capacity at the Slaty Farlan works, 50% more sewage would go to treatment, and that 50% less spills at Kinloch Park would occur. We can all see and smell that the situation is no better than before they spent £700,000 on this work. The Task Force has put in a lot of effort into monitoring the situation and we have technical information and evidence to prove that not much more sewage is going to treatment then before. It is undoubtedly true that many people are bored with the situation and having lived with it for so long, have even come to accept that the resulting smells and pollution are normal. However, it would be helpful if those of you who are concerned would come along tomorrow and ask Scottish Water what is to be done to put right the "Phase 1" works before they plough on with a huge Combined Sewer Overflow which will simply move the problem further out into the loch rather than spend what is required to complete Phase 1 and tackle the basic problem that not enough of our sewage is going to treatment.

[RAIBEART]

Surely it is now time for the public health authority for this area to take the appropriate legal action against Scottish Water ? Of course we all have the answer in our own hands at the elections next year and ensure that no matter the colour of their party all present MSP, an Councillors be not re-elected.

[hoots the scoop]

Not sure what you mean here! Do you mean that the Task Force is a joke, or that Scottish Water is a joke or that the current situation is a joke? We hope you mean the latter!

Opps - sorry! Meant Scottish Water are a joke. I fully support the efforts of the Task Force. Won't make the meeting tomorrow so hope there is an update on here.

[Task Force]

Below is an extract from the Gazette - the photos are good but we are defeated by technology and they haven't appeared! Will have to ask the p or other expert how to post the whole article - will send it to him!
Anyway the point of drawing this to your attention folks, is that we don't want SW to make a similar mess here and it is up to us all to go and make our views felt in advance of the next phase - go and see their plans at the Open Day tomorrow 4-7 Town Hall- now is the time to try and have an input!



Ardrishaig Gazette
Issue 1 November 2006 Special Edition
Concern grows over long-term effect of ‘Twin Peaks’ development
Rotting debris a major problem
Scottish Water must be stopped
This aerial view shows the extent of damage inflicted by Scottish Water
on the Ardrishaig foreshore and Public Beach
Thousands of tonnes of rock
armouring have been
unceremoniously dumped on the
Ardrishaig foreshore
Scottish Water assured councillors, planners and residents that the public foreshore
between the ‘Twin Peaks’ would NOT be a catchment area for debris.
The photographs on this page tell a very different story and the worst of the winter
storms are yet to come.
The natural rythm of the tide and wave action along this section of shoreline have
carried marine debris ashore for years but it has also taken it away again ensuring
the beach was left clear of rotting weed and rubbish, making it a clean and safe area
for the public to enjoy. At this moment in time it is hazardous and unsightly.
The construction of the ‘Twin Peaks’ has totally disrupted the tidal action and what
we are now seeing is a continual build up of marine waste, including dead birds,
plastic and timber, being trapped on the shore and between the rock armouring. It
already smells, it is beginning
to rot and it is
environmentally and
visually unacceptable.
We can expect more
flotsum to be deposited
on the shore and
in between the rocks at
every high tide and we
can expect a dramatic
increase in debris every
time we are buffeted
by howling gales
and the shoreline is
punded by heavy seas.
Scottish Water should
acknowledge that this design is totally
unsuitable for such an exposed
coastal location and pull
out all the stops to rectify what is
fast becoming a major problem.
IN its bid to meet Urban
Waste Water Directives
directives Scottish
Water has bulldozed its
way through towns and
villages the length and
breadth of Scotland
leaving a trail of destruction
in its wake.
Ardrishaig is one in a long
line of rural villages to have
suffered the effects of Scottish
Water’s heavy handed
tactics.
Residents here have experienced
first hand Scottish
Water’s ‘couldn’t care less’
attitude towards local opinion
along with its reluctance to
consult with local people.
It’s blatant disregard for
Argyll and Bute Planners is
nothing short of shocking and
clearly reflects the company’s
attitude towards Local Authority.
For too long now Scottish
Water has been given the
freedom to do what it wants,
where it wants, whenever it
wants.
This is no longer acceptable.
It is widely acknowledged that
sewerage systems require upgrading
and local people welcome
anything that will improve
the water quality of lochs and
rivers, however, there is a limit
to the amount of
destruction they
are prepared to
accept in order to
achieve this.
In Ardrishaig,
Scottish Water
has systematically
destroyed
the foreshore with
the construction
of the ‘Twin
Peaks’.
It has blocked
access to the public beach
and prescriptive rights along
it.
The rock armouring with its
huge gaping holes is dangerously
unstable and there are
mountains of rotting debris
piling up on the shore and inside
the rock armouring on a
daily basis.
This is fast becoming a
breeding ground for vermin
and a series health issue.
The foreshore has been
ripped apart causing untold
damage to the biodiversity,
local flora and fauna.
Local residents are seriously
concerned about the longterm
implications that this
developemnt will have on the
Ardrishaig foreshore and the
environment as a whole.

[John S]

It is about time someone was taken to takes over the way these quangos, which are supposed to be accountable to Scottish Executive ministers, can just bare faced lie. The letter from Jason Rose in last week’s courier is a fine example of how they get away with this. He says that only storm water flows into the loch at the pontoons in storm conditions. This is nonsense how do you separate storm from sewerage when every street drain, gutter and gulley empties directly into the foul water sewer?

What he also fails to say is that the enormously oversized sewer pipes underneath the main streets of the town are not just pipes but an enormous reservoir system which can contain, and has done since the pipes were installed, many tens or even hundreds of times more sewage than naturally flows from dwellings - the result is when there is a storm event many times more sewage flows into the loch than would if the system worked properly. There was incompetence in the way the system was designed but the way its failings are being covered up by Scottish Water is, in my opinion, criminal.

[Ship called Dignity]

I honestly find it surprising how much the people of Campbeltown have put up with regards the Sewerage System. How many years has it been now and it has still to be fixed.

Thank god for the efforts of the Task Force.

[John S]

The taskforce do a great job, but there is a possibility of the rest of us leaving them to get on with it, which isn't fair. We all need to take the bull by the horns and turn up at this meeting even if it is only for 5 minutes on our way home from work, this is an opportunity for us all to show our support for the taskforce and air our disapproval with SW.

[Ship called Dignity]

With regards Task Forces posting above I received this document by e-mail which I have now uploaded and can be viewed at

http://www.kwdhosting.co.uk/news/Gazette.pdf

The mess at Ardrishaig is totally shocking too!

Would a similar "flyer" to the public in Campbeltown perhaps highlight the issues better. Some of the stuff I have received is very detailed but to be honest is pretty intensive stuff (not taking anything from how desperate the situation is!) but something along these lines has an immediate impact!

[John S]

Given what you have posted, the p, we need to be sure we don't loose our place in the pecking order by not asserting ourselves enough. Will post on this again when I've made some enquiries – perhaps there is something further we can do as a community.

[Jeanette]

A quote from the above link assures Councillors, Planners and residents that the public foreshore would not be a catchement area for debri at Twin Peaks.

Campbeltown residents were told the same thing when SW and their "Strategic partner" George Leslie built up mounds of broken concrete and old bricks to accomodate their manholes. That was at least three years ago.

These photos were taken yesterday.

[Task Force]

"A LEADING Scottish Water Official
has spoken out against the construction of sewerage systems on the shoreline.
Derek Gorrie, Scottish Water’s Governance Manager told a public inquiry recently that he would avoid laying pipes along the coast wherever possible.
He stated that salt water dramatically increases the risk of odour and added that the greatest risk of seawater intrusion was when sewers are buried 1 metre more and when high tides could cause seawater to enter the sewerage system via joints in the pipe lines."

We don't yet know which public enquiry this quotation this came from but we do know that we already have one leaking and malodourus pipe along Low Askomil and so another question to ask SW is : what are they intending to do about the present pipe and how are they going to ensure that the next one doesn't leak?

And John S is quite right about Mr Rose's letter to the Courier - it is an insult to the people of Campbeltown

[Mags B]

Did anyone go to the Open Day yesterday? Anything new come up?

[Ship called Dignity]

Did anyone go to the Open Day yesterday? Anything new come up?

I went yesterday to show face but to be honest it was a squabble and just how Scottish Water wanted it.

Shocked to hear phase 2 will not start until this time next year and the whole project will be completed in 2009!!!!!

Those lovely blue boards at the pump station in the centre of our town could be there for another three years