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information displayed on the electronic sign maybe out of date and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.