Shellfish farmer Tony Legg told the panel that officially tested samples taken last month showed that contaminant levels from the Bellozanne outfall were 50 times higher than from all of the sources on the Island’s east coast put together.
‘This was effectively raw sewage,’ he told the Environment Scrutiny panel. The samples were collected by the shellfish farmers on the advice of the Environment Department and then tested by the States analyst.
Mr Legg said that there was now clear evidence that rising levels of e-coli and norovirus contamination in oysters recent years had resulted directly from human effluent. However, he said that there had been ‘consistent denials’ from the authorities as to the source of the pollution.
The Environment Scrutiny panel, chaired by Deputy Phil Rondel, is assessing the work done to protect the marine environment when the new £100 million energy from waste plant at La Collette was in the planning stages.
But it is also taking evidence into the general threats to the Island’s marine environment posed from other sources.
Pollution levels at the Bellozanne outfall were 50 times higher than readings at Pontac, Le Hocq and Le Dicq, Scrutiny were told (00696907)
