Purpose

Havant Borough Council wishes to display information about storm overflow releases that could impact water quality at designated Bathing Waters on Hayling. This information will provide additional information to users when they make decisions on whether to enter the water.

It is proposed to install one solar powered sign on Council owned land at Beachlands West. The signs will display one of two messages, either a ‘green = no sewage discharge event’, or a ‘red = sewage discharge event in the last 48 hours’. The information is provided by the Surfers Against Sewage (SaS) app map with the council updating the signs at least once a day throughout the Bathing Season (15 May until the end of September). 

The information displayed will sit alongside existing signs which are currently displayed in the area which direct users to the Environment Agency’s (EA) water quality testing programme for the area as well as Southern Water’s (SW) Rivers and Seas Watch. Although initially the new electronic sign will display information from another source (SaS as opposed to SW and the EA) in time the SaS interpretation of the data will align with SW’s and all signs will display the same information.

The signs will contain a clear disclaimer making it clear that the information displayed on the electronic sign maybe out of date and that users are advised to check SaS’s app or SW’s Rivers and Seas Service before entering the water. Bathers must satisfy themselves that it is safe to enter the water, that they do so at the own risk and the Council accepts no liability for information supplied by third party agencies.

An Equalities Impact Assessment has been undertaken to support this decision.

Decision

To purchase, install and operate one electronic sign displaying water quality information at West Beach, Hayling Island.