Massive expansion plans for Mogden - have your say!
I've reposted the following for MRAG because I fear their contribution will be deleted as it is not posted under the name of a specified individual, which I believe is contrary to the rules. Anyway, here it is:Dear Residents,You may possibly be aware that Thames Water intends to submit a planning application shortly to increase works at their Mogden Plant, and they are to give a brief presentation explaining why they intend to do so, if permission is granted, at the next meeting of the Isleworth and Brentford Area Committee on the 17th May to be held in the Brentford Free Church, Boston Manor Road, Brentford on Thursday, 17 May 2007 at 7:30 pmAs Chair of this committee, I have decided to limit them to speak for just five or 10 minutes maximum so members of the public can then have enough time to ask them the questions they feel matter and, as most residents are now excluded from residents liaison meetings with Thames Water, I hope as many as possible will take this opportunity to do so.Unfortunately, as an MRAG committee member as well as being involved in the legal action against Thames, I have to declare a declaration of interest during this part of the evening and the Vice Chair Jon Hardy will preside over this part of the agenda.Since becoming Chair of this Area Committee, I have always tried to encourage as much participation from the public as possible at our meetings and I sincerely hope that many of you will be able to attend?The meeting starts at 7.30pm on Thursday 17th May and I would expect the Thames Water Presentation to begin at approximately 8.30pm but please feel free to come earlier if you wish as we have many other items on the agenda.Kind RegardsCllr Paul Fisher (Isleworth Ward)Chair Isleworth and Brentford Area Committee MRAG notes:Thames Water is seeking planning permission to increase Mogden capacity from 690 megalitres per day to 1074 megalitres per day. In 1999 Thames Water completed major expansion of Mogden to increase capacity from 450 ml/d to 810 ml/d to cater for the additional sewage following its closure of Kew STW. However we believe this expansion failed inasmuch as following completion the Environmental Agency only consented to 690 ml/d. Following the expansion, Thames Water became incapable of controlling odour from the site which resulted in an abatement notice being served which resulted in lengthy legal proceedings whereby Thames Water attempted to defend its right to permit odour to escape its premises as part of its normal operation.In its defence Thames Water asserted that "although the area is in part residential, it is dominated by the works"In its defence Thames Water argued that there was no requirement for sewage works to have a formal Odour Management Plan.The judge ruled that there existed and continues to exist an odour which amounts in law to a nuisance.The current odour improvement programme will only reduce odour by approximately 50% (as recorded by MP Dr Vince Cable)Only 2 of 8 storm tanks are being covered although the tanks are almost in constant use.Thames Water will not invest from its own profits to complete the job properly. Thames Water has no plans to cover the remaining 6 Storm Tanks which will remain open.Thames Water will submit that Odour Control for the expansion of the site will remain the same as that currently employed.There is no plan to investigate the use of the latest technology available for odour control.Thames Water has refused to set targets for odour reduction.Thames Water has refused to invite the MRAG Committee to its Residents Liaison meetingsThames Water has refused to change the date of the next liaison meeting and opted for the date they were aware the Council's Lead Member for Environment and Planning is away.Residents submit that the results of the current odour improvement program should be evaluated on completion at the end of 2008 before any expansion of the site can be considered?
Phil Andrews ● 6598d1 Comments