Thursday, June 05, 2014

Heavy rain and unfortunately pollution for the River Nairn

There is only so much the Nairn sewage and drainage systems can take in heavy rain before some of it goes into the river. We hear from Cawdor that there has been 32.8mm of rain in just over 12 hours up to around lunchtime - we will have had the same if not more here. That should perhaps ensure a bit of a summer spate in the river which will hopefully flush out any build up of pollution today.


Above you can see the overflow going straight into the River at the Factor's Pool this morning. The grey streak gradually spread out further down to the the A96 bridge and then claimed the river as its own. Sometimes the rainfall is so heavy that this will inevitably happen. Incidently, Nairn's drainage infrastructure is referred to in the submission to the Nairn South Planning hearing (next week) by the Commuinty Councils and others. They state:

"6.5.1. Water and drainage.  The issues have been outlined in the joint CC paper on the subject submitted to the Reporter in January 2014 [ref doc #18].  It is essential that development on the Nairn South site is subject to conditions and obligations which ensure water supply, no additional risk (of flooding or pollution) to the river or the areas of Nairn downstream (north) of the site, and satisfactory arrangements for wastewater treatment.  [ see in particular Sections 8 and 9 of the joint CC paper].  Scottish Water has already identified capacity problems, and expects these to be addressed via developer contributions.  Since these issues have already been identified,  this points to a requirement in planning conditions to carry out a Stage 2 DIA  before any development proceeds (not after problems of flooding and foul drainage appear).  Similarly conditions should require SUDS arrangements to be agreed and in place by a fixed timetable ahead of other development construction, not left for later delivery." Read the full submission to the hearing by the CCs, NRCG and Dr Joan Noble here. 

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yet another reason for no more houses in Nairn, until the sewage system is fit for purpose. If SEPA test the beach at this time, it will surely fail its blue flag. As an angler, this will do nothing for the small smolts that are currently migrating to sea to return as salmon in 4 years time. Time and again this has been exposed on the Gurn as unsatisfactory yet nothing will be done as usual.

sewer rat said...

Isn't it ironic that this should occur barely a week after the media carried photos and stories of local politicians and high heid yins patting themselves on the back, waving flags and even paddling in the sea to hail the cleanliness of Nairn beach.

I wonder if our Provost would care to invite Fergus Ewing to come and paddle in the Factor's Pool today?

I read the news today... said...

Highland News

Anonymous said...

'top award for the quality and exceptional experience it offers visitors'

Aye ...

Anonymous said...

What do residents in Nairn actually expect to happen every time it rains. With all those road gulleys draining hundreds of cubic metres of rainwater gathered in roads, it does have to flow somewhere and it somehow just doesn't magically disappear after entering a road gulley. Just think how many roads there are in Nairn, so how much rainwater is gathered from roads. And remember if roads weren't drained, lovely Nairn would flood every time it rained.
Also there is a difference between domestic sewage and rainwater from roads. The sewers referred to are primarily used for domestic sewage and road rainwater simply shouldn't be connected. All new developments since about 1970 have the road rainwater separated out, this will continue under current SEPA requirements and with a river running right through the middle of Nairn, it should come as no surprise to where the road rainwater drains to.

Graisg said...

Perhaps you might want to read this document by the CCs anon Nairn South - Water and Drainage issues in Nairn

Anonymous said...

Read it. For a 2014 document, it's full of old references, photographs of flooding happening several years ago and photographs of the River Nairn in spate.
It is only an opinion document and does not represent technical facts.

I'm afraid Nairn residents just have to accept that when it rains, road surface water has to go somewhere and a sewage treatment works is not the place to send it to. After all why should muddy or dirty water from roads go to a sewage treatment works which by its purpose is designed primarily to treat sewage.
This is a road drainage issue from surface water, not a sewage matter.

Graisg said...

Perhaps you might have some technical facts that could tell us just what goes into the Factors Pool then Anon and also the big tanks next to the pumping station there. Where they not put in some years ago to prevent the level of discharges into the river. I'm sure it's all there in the past copies of the Nairnshire and the minutes of the old Highland Council pre Scottish Water etc. If you can prove that it is only water from the roads going in then I'm sure a lot of folk would be delighted to have it confirmed.

Anonymous said...

@Anon 8:38

But it's not just road surface water that's entering the river, bad enough if it was but as has been documented several time by the Gurn it's sewage

AuldSkater said...

I'm not sure if Scottish Water offer the same system, but the water company local to me allows you to look at the maps of its assets. If they allow it, you could quite easily request the asset map for the local area and figure exactly what flows out of the overflow.

Anonymous said...

The article stated it correctly. Heavy rain - spills from drain pipe.
Where else is it expected to go????
If it doesn't discharge in a controlled manner, flooding will occur every time it rains. Pictures of extreme storm events aside when all reasonable design may be overwhelmed, this picture at least shows heavy rainfall being discharged in a controlled manner. Something I for one am relieved to find is the case.