Southern Water revealed a wastewater pumping station failure at Madeira Road, Totland, early this morning, causing screened wastewater to spill into the bathing water.
Incident Timeline
The spill occurred between 4:08am and 5:58am, prompting an immediate response from Southern Water and environmental authorities.
Response And Monitoring
The Environment Agency has been notified, and specialist contractor Adler and Allan is on-site to begin water sampling. Southern Water operators are conducting beach inspections to assess pollution levels.
Tidal Modelling Forecast
Southern Water has produced tidal modelling to predict the wastewater concentration and flow patterns, informing their ongoing monitoring and clean-up activities.
Preventative Measures
While investigating the cause of the failure, the Madeira Road pumping station will be manually operated to prevent further incidents.
Community Impact And Apology
Southern Water acknowledged the importance of the Totland area to residents, visitors, and businesses, apologising for the disruption. They promised to work closely with stakeholders to restore conditions quickly and will provide an update this afternoon.
