An Evidence Base for CROWD: Part 1: Sewage output by the water companies; Part 2: Bathing quality in the coastal waters off CROWD area; Part 3: Sewage and the marine environment off the CROWD area; Part 4 CROWD area discharges 2022 - (Howard Atkinson)
Note from WW on PFAS: For PFAS, we monitor our sources and treatment works in line with the guidance issued by DWI in 2025, which superseded the 2021 guidance. This stipulates a list of 48 PFAS compounds that we must test for, along with a ‘sum of PFAS’ calculation. The sampling frequencies are dictated by a risk assessment of each site.
There is no legal standard for PFAS in England at the moment, however DWI have set guideline values for individual and total PFAS.
Measuring performance is a bit complicated because DWI have set three tiers for PFAS, which require different levels of intervention, rather than a single guideline value. Based on the concentrations we detect for both total and individual PFAS we assign each site into a tier. Tier 1 (the lowest concentrations) just require monitoring and risk assessment, Tier 2 need an action plan to reduce concentrations and Tier 3 need emergency measures to reduce concentrations.
The majority of our sites have No or Low detections and we have no sites in Tier 3 for individual PFAS. For those sites where we have had detections we have plans in place to reduce the levels.
2 Wessex Water water quality monitors (Bournemouth/Boscombe) producing near-real-time bacteriology estimates: Sea Check
Ofwat is funding Wessex Water's Rainwater Management Platform (RMP) – a national initiative offering a free, digital resource designed to transform how the UK manages rainwater – with guidance and best practice for planning, design, construction, and maintenance of SuDS. EPG will cover pervious paving, blue and green roofs, soakaways and challenging site conditions. Key goals of the platform include: • Minimising sewer discharges • Preventing pollution • Promoting rainfall as a resource • Enhancing climate resilience • Delivering better long-term environmental outcomes
