Flood Forum News, request for waterways task force

Flood Forum News, request for waterways task force

FLOOD FORUM & SEWAGE TREATMENT UPDATE

We are pleased to tell you that our MP for Guildford, which includes Cranleigh, Ewhurst, Alfold and Dunsfold,  Angela Richardson,  held a meeting held via ZOOM 18th June 2021.  Councillors and Officers from Cranleigh Parish Council, Waverley Borough Council and Surrey County Council were joined by Thames Water, Environment Agency and Surrey Wildlife Trust, plus Cranleigh Civic Society.

ASBESTOS CEMENT DRINKING WATER PIPES UPDATE

Cranleigh Society called for immediate replacement programme 5 years ago – what has happened? Thames Water say that when there are bursts the section is replaced, any type of pipes, and 14km are being replaced in and around Cranleigh soon.  No further tests have been done for safety of drinking water.  New map of asbestos cement pipes requested.

WATERCOURSES CLEARANCE – keeping rivers flowing

Cranleigh Waters joinsthe  River Wey at Bramley & Shalford. A section runs down the Ewhurst Road.  The river carries huge amounts of rubbish, both natural and man made, and the grilles get blocked up. Local residents watch and report this often.  The Environment Agency engage Biffa to clear the mess and take the rubbish away, sometimes during a storm. They use CCTV to monitor.  Incident phone line 0800 80 70 60, Floodline 0345 988 1188

Riparian duties – owners of housing must ensure the ditches and waterways are kept clear on their land. see here 

FLOOD RISK AREAS

Holdhurst Brook,  Avenue road, Longpoles Pole, Orchard Gardens, Bax Close, Horsham Road, Nightingales, Waverleigh Road, Brookside, Fortune Drive;      

Littlemead Brook, Littlemead Industrial Estate;

Nuthurst Stream, Wyphurst Road, Peregrine Close, East view Cottages, St James Place;

Alderbrook Stream, Guildford Road, Rowly

CALLS FOR FARMERS TO HELP US ALL

Surrey Wildlife Trust urge local land owners and farmers to work together towards obtaining government grants to “go wild” – Environmental Land Management Scheme -ELMS, for well designed Natural Flood Management Schemes -NFMS.  Councillors to contact locals and encourage them to build wetlands up stream to reduce flood risk and drying up of  waterways in summer.

New housing estates have been and are being built – Surrey CC do not consider the accumulative effects of this on flood risks from surface water runoff during planning applications. Nuthurst Culvert and Glebelands playing fields get inundated these days probably due to the housing estate along Amletts Lane. . 

Nothing has changed in terms of planning permissions. 

Actions – All public to tell all councils every time there are flooded areas. 

SEWAGE TREATMENT PLANT, Elmbridge Road

In the last 5 years nothing has changed to improve Cranleigh’s water quality and flow! Environment Agency provides permit to Thames Water for the outflow, to ensure treated water is safe to pump into Cranleigh Waters and beyond.  It was permitted to treat the sewage from 15,000 people since 1964, this has been renewed.  TW has recently built further treatment capacity because of extra housing. Nothing else has changed.  The river sometimes dries up and other times floods.  The outflow has high levels of phosphates. Phosphates come from human urine, waste and from farm run off and washing powders. Too much harms life in rivers and streams. The river plants and creatures are not in a healthy condition.

What is being done? Thames Water will upgrade the facilities as the need arises, never before housing is built and occupied. Treatment of outflow for excess phosphates is now scientifically possible and will soon come to Cranleigh – 2024.

Surrey Wildlife Trust and Cranleigh Civic Society working together to create a Waterways task force to monitor the health of the waterways, and report any particular problems and get them resolved. We need a team of volunteers…… this project was paused last time it started but this time we are definitely going ahead in June and July.  

contact@cranleighsociety.org

membership@cranleighsociety.org

Drinking Water Asbestos Cement Pipes – concerns

Drinking Water Asbestos Cement Pipes – concerns

WE HAVE LONG BEEN CONCERNED ABOUT DRINKING WATER PIPES – THEY KEEP BURSTING AND SOME ARE MADE OF ASBESTOS CEMENT

Cranleigh Society members have done their best to persuade Waverley Borough Council (WBC) and Thames Water (TW) to renew our drinking water pipes.

We believe this should be planned and completed before the new housing is attached to the network for two reasons – the pipes are 50-70 yrs old and getting close to the end of their lives Due to this frequent  bursts occur causing major disruption . The latest guidelines for new housing also state that the water pressure must be higher than the previous norm.

In addition, you may have seen that Cranleigh Society member Adrian Clarke has recently worked with the Financial Times (article dated 30-March-19) concerning the asbestos cement used in around 29% of Cranleigh’s water supply pipes, some of which contains the more worrying “blue” type.

So the World Health Organisation (WHO) must look into the problem and are looking for funds so that they can. Our MP Anne Milton is aware of the potential issue, it having been raised during the regular ‘flood forums’ that she has established.

WBC have done some investigation and have summarised the situation – Tom Horwood, the CEO of WBC stated “This whole issue keeps coming back to the established view of the lack of harm of ingested asbestos, which we would all like reviewed.”  

Like many other health concerns there is no evidence that stands up at the moment to say there is definitely a problem with ingested asbestos from the drinking water, or indeed that there isn’t. At present, no one knows.

To put you in the picture – The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) told Cranleigh Society late in 2016 that, under clause 79 of The Water Industry 1991 (as amended), it is our local authority’s responsibility to risk assess this issue, and HSE gave us help in preparing the hazard report we sent to WBC on 29-Jan-17. The Drinking Water Inspectorate’s (DWI) (and hence Thames Water’s) advice to WBC was based on the following paragraph taken from the 1996 WHO report:

“Although the carcinogenicity of inhaled asbestos is well established, there is no conclusive evidence that ingested asbestos is carcinogenic (1,3,16). ….”

But the animal tests were done to assess the risk of chrysotile, amosite and tremolite asbestos contaminated talc used as fillers in processed foods in the USA in the 1960s and early 1970s.  Crocidolite (blue) asbestos, the worst one and the one we are concerned about in Cranleigh, was not tested because it is not a contaminant in North American talc deposits.  Also, the asbestos tested was ground down (milled) into mainly sub-microscopic particles in the same machines as would be used for processing talc, so they didn’t contain complete whole fibres as would be the case from bursts in water pipes.  If you’ve got a bit of spare time, Google the reports (references 17, 18 and 19 in the WHO 1996 report) and follow the trail to check out what I just stated.  This would suggest that the 1996 WHO report is irrelevant. No “blue” asbestos was looked for.

A few months ago, in 2018, the latest WHO statement came out (WHO information is always based on their latest update): The link is –

https://www.who.int/en/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/asbestos-elimination-of-asbestos-related-diseases

“All forms of asbestos are carcinogenic to humans. Exposure to asbestos causes cancer of the lung, larynx, and ovaries, and also mesothelioma (a cancer of the pleural and peritoneal linings).”

Our concern is risk of peritoneal mesothelioma from crocidolite (blue) asbestos, and this is what we asked WBC to risk assess.

The good thing is that as these failing asbestos cement pipes in Cranleigh are really so old, Thames Water is gradually having to replace them all anyway, so it is only a temporary problem.  Other areas in the UK may be at greater risk, particularly Suffolk/Norfolk and Cornwall, where a much higher percentage of asbestos cement pipes per head of population were installed, and where lower population density and less aggressive soil pH could extend the free fibre risk over a longer period.

Asbestos refers to six unique minerals — chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite — belonging to the serpentine and amphibole families. … Crocidolite (blue asbestos) was commonly used to insulate steam engines. It was also used in some spray-on coatings, pipe insulation, plastics and cement products.  Serpentine is nottoxic rock. It sometimes contains the fibrous mineral chrysotile asbestos,

Crocidolite

The notes below were found on a US web site – https://www.mesotheliomaguide.com/mesothelioma/peritoneal/
How Does Peritoneal Mesothelioma Develop?
  • Asbestos fibers are ingested. This can happen after being inhaled, coughed up, and then swallowed.
  • The body attempts to filter and remove them, but the sharp fibers can lodge into the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum). The fibers irritate the peritoneum and can cause genetic damage to cells.
  • Genetic damage can keep cells from receiving important signals about when to stop replicating. This causes unchecked cell division and the formation of a malignant tumor. It can take decades for this process to happen.
Flood Forum News

Flood Forum News

MP Anne Milton came to Cranleigh with her selected representatives from Waverley Borough Council, Surrey County Council, Thames Water, and the Environment Agency. Our councillors attended and spoke up for Cranleigh too. 

Cranleigh Society representative Adrian Clark spoke about the on-going concerns about our old asbestos cement water mains pipes – the meeting heard that all avenues have been explored and everyone is powerless – but no!  Anne Milton will work with Adrian Clark personally going forwards. In the meantime the Financial Times have investigated the issue and published a comprehensive article – just google Financial Times Cranleigh Asbestos – well done Adrian. 

Thames Water say that they are definitely coping with present levels of demand and making arrangements to improve and increase capacity as the houses are built and occupied.  However they were left in no doubt about our outrage at the number of burst pipes and the issue of sewage coming up sometimes.  TW were told that we all believe the pipes should be replaced and soon. In addition they must make sure that any electric pumps are working and have relief systems in place. 

Local shop owners were represented saying they are suffering new damp never before experienced.  This will be followed up urgently. Is it caused by all the building works – Berkeley homes? or just the small project at the Methodist church – let’s hope it is sorted out soon. 

Once again Cranleigh society’s rep Richard Bryant brought up the subject of new housing needing house insurance against flooding and that the insurance companies are aware of each house’s risk of flooding.  Somehow we all need to make sure that solicitors flag up the concerns to prospective buyers.  We do not want Cranleigh to be a no go area – so we are looking for solid answers. 

Cranleigh Society is going to arrange for an expert talk about how the flood risks are managed across new housing estates in the modern age – thanks to Surrey CC – watch this space. SUDS = surface water drainage system and similar. There is an amazing project at Deepcut Barracks that welcomes visitors apparently. They are building a new 1200 dwellings village. 

Ditches – Anne Milton stressed that projects to make sure all drainage ditches are cleaned and cleared properly and regularly really make a positive difference.  If people have a ditch they should make sure the work is carried out. 

Pot holes were talked about – there is an app – you can go on line to Surrey County Council report a pothole. 

All problems – people must tell Cranleigh Parish Council so they can keep a good truthful record – not just anecdotal. 

The office is in Village Way beside the band room and leisure centre – open 9.30 to 12.30

email – clerk@cranleigh-pc.gov.uk 

 Tel: 01483 272311
Waverley’s Local Plan Part 1 Adopted

Waverley’s Local Plan Part 1 Adopted

20 Feb 2018  Waverley’s Local Plan Part 1 adopted

was adopted tonight:

  • For – 41
  • Against – 1
  • Abstained – 3

Even those who opposed or had serious reservations took the view that the Waverley area would have more protection with a LP. Even with it’s flaws,  WBC would be able to take back control.  No longer would planning be developer led.

All three Cranleigh Councillors expressed their deep concerns about Waverley’s Local Plan. But they decided to vote For IT because the consequences of having no LP would be disastrous. Nothing will undo the damage that has already been inflicted on Cranleigh but further damage can be minimised with the LP.

http://www.waverley.gov.uk/news/article/337/waverley_s_local_plan_is_adopted

Waverley’s local plan part 1 – Cranleigh Society’s opinion was shared before the vote –

Whilst Cranleigh is viewed by Waverley as one of the four main “settlements”, it has some serious infrastructure problems which the Inspector, Jonathan Bore, has not addressed in the report, even though they were pointed out to him by Cranleigh Civic Society and others at the Inquiry.

  • Cranleigh is only served by already congested B-roads, and lanes (we call them “rat runs”) which do not even qualify for B-road status, and there are no plans in his report (or in the Local Plan) to solve this.
  • Any new dwellings being built in Cranleigh rely on sewage treatment at the Elmbridge Road works.  In recent years, the so-called river that the effluent is pumped into, Cranleigh Waters, has developed serious flow problems, sometimes ceasing flowing altogether.  The river has become polluted, with local angling societies reporting dying fish stocks to the Environment Agency, and there is currently no plan by Waverley to solve this problem.  The Inspector has not considered this in his report.
  • 29.6% of all Cranleigh’s drinking water supply network is made from old asbestos cement pipes which are at the end of their 50 to 70 year design life, and they are regularly bursting releasing free asbestos fibres into the water supply.  Some of the pipes recently tested by Thames Water are made from highly dangerous blue asbestos.  Waverley are aware of this problem, and it has been suggested to them that all the old asbestos cement pipes be replaced before any new housing is connected to the network. Again, this important matter has not been considered by the Inspector in his report.
  • There are no plans to create new local jobs, so increasing the population will simply create a need to commute to work, which is hardly sustainable.

We accept that there is a need to build new houses in SE England and we do not have a problem with Cranleigh taking its fair share, but unless the infrastructure problems are addressed before the plan is published and put into place, we see big problems ahead.

Modern town planning (actually even Ebenezer Howard said this in the 1920s) states that “houses should be built where the jobs are”.  Modern thinking is to build settlements as close as possible to places where people can work or to at least give people easy access to commute.  Of the four settlements in the report, Cranleigh is least able to meet this criteria.  It has only B-roads and narrow lanes leading out of it, no railway station and so on.  The obvious place to build substantial quantities of new houses, in the Waverley area, is Milford, as:

(1) It has a mainline railway station that can easily be extended to take the new 12 car trains to London; (2)  It is close to both the A31 and A3; (3) It is close to the job markets in Guildford, Godalming and Farnham; (4) It is adjacent to the River Wey and therefore readily lends itself to the building of a new major sewage treatment works that can meet the needs of the latest 2017 implementations of the Water Framework Directive.  Yet I think we are correct in saying that the Local Plan only envisages 180 new dwellings in Milford?  If this is the situation we have to ask “Why?”

Richard Bryant

 Vice Chair.

 CRANLEIGH CIVIC SOCIETY.

Go to Waverley Borough Council  website and complete the consultation if you feel you can.

Local Plan Part 2: Site Allocations and Development Management Policies

 

Drinking Water Asbestos Cement Pipes – concerns

UPDATE – Asbestos in Cranleigh

Thames Water advised Cranleigh Civic Society on the 20th October that the 3km of asbestos cement pipe that they are replacing in Cranleigh is only one fifth of the total length of the asbestos pipes in the village.

That means that Cranleigh will still have 12km of very old, decaying asbestos cement (AC) drinking water pipes operational in the drinking water network.

Cranleigh Civic Society has written several times to the Government’s Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) asking them to confirm that these old pipes will not be a risk to the health of Cranleigh residents, and we have not received reassurance from them.

The position of Cranleigh Civic Society remains unequivocal.  We think these very old AC pipes in the Cranleigh area should all be replaced BEFORE any new houses are connected to the network.  We think that the infrastructure should be sorted out by Waverley Borough Council first, particularly in this case where, we believe, it cannot be ruled out that there is a clear and present danger to public health.

 

VICTORY for Cranleigh Civic Society!

VICTORY for Cranleigh Civic Society!

After a long fight by Cranleigh Civic Society, Thames Water have agreed to start replacing Cranleigh’s  asbestos cement drinking water pipes starting in 2018.

29.6% of our drinking water pipes are old and made from asbestos cement (compared to an average throughout SE England of just 2%).  The design life of these pipes is 50 to 70 years, and as some of these were installed in the early 1960’s, they are starting to decay and burst.

During the last nine months, a team from Thames Water has met with Cranleigh Civic Society several times to discuss the problem, and Thames Water has carried out tests on samples of burst pipes to determine the composition of the materials used.  They have found a mixture of white and blue asbestos.  On the 5th October, the team from Thames Water announced to Cranleigh Civic Society that they will start a programme of replacement in Spring 2018 (they will need the time between now and then for planning and to seek the licences that will be needed).

Cranleigh Civic Society is grateful to Thames Water who have been open and helpful in giving advice, and also to them for carrying out tests on the samples of burst pipe.  On the 9th October, Thames Water told us that they have identified over 3 km of pipes to replace, and we are awaiting confirmation from them as to how much of our old asbestos cement network that accounts for, and over what period of time the replacement programme will take place.

Thames Water has advised us that they have secured the funding for this project, which comes out of central pot and will not impact on our bills locally.

New housing being built in Cranleigh must comply with current Building Regulations that require a minimum 1 bar drinking water pressure provision.  This is because many new houses nowadays are provided with unvented hot water systems, which work on higher pressure than the old “indirect” systems based on a header tank in the attic space.  Over the past three months the number of burst water pipes has increased considerably with over 20 bursts occurring, some leaving residents without water for days at a time.  This has coincided with the building of new housing estates in the village.

Cranleigh Civic Society’s opinion is that if more new housing estates are connected onto the existing network before Thames Water has finished replacing the old asbestos cement pipes, the number of bursts will increase exponentially, and could raise the risk of more free asbestos fibres entering the drinking water network.

We think these old asbestos cement pipes in the Cranleigh area should be replaced BEFORE more new houses are connected to the network.