JERSEY Water has said that it was not aware that a law would be proposed setting a new legal standard for PFAS and its attempts to arrange a meeting to discuss the change in regulations had been unsuccessful.
The utility continues to push back on a proposal by Environment Minister Steve Luce – which the States Assembly is due to debate today.
He is asking politicians to introduce a limit for the amount of PFAS – a manmade chemical linked to various health conditions, including cancer and high cholesterol – is mains drinking water, and defended pushing ahead with the move in the Chamber yesterday.
Following the recommendation of an Scientific Panel of experts established by the government, he is proposing the limit to be 4 nanograms per litre of the four most common types of PFAS in Jersey. Again, following the view of the panel, Deputy Luce says this limit should be achieved within five years.
However, Jersey Water – although accepting the introduction of a legal standard – says that the ‘4 in 5’ plan is premature.
The utility, which is 74% owned by the public, says that Deputy Luce’s proposal would require a new treatment works costing up to £210m. This could result in water bills more than doubling, it adds.
Jersey Water argues that it first needs to complete pilot studies to find the most effective PFAS-removing method before committing to the 4 ng/l standard, which was introduced in Sweden this January.
Its shareholder representative, Treasury Minister Elaine Millar, is seeking to introduced a more phased approach through an amendment, while Health Minister Tom Binet and former Chief Minister Kristina Moore have also proposed alternative paths.
On Friday, a Scrutiny panel hearing looking at the proposed regulatory change quizzed Deputy Luce on his plan.
Responding to that, through a post-hearing submission commenting on what had been said to the panel, Jersey Water revealed that it was not formally notified in advance that a proposition to introduce a statutory PFAS drinking water limit would be lodged before the Scientific Panel’s work was completed.
It added: “Jersey Water understood that the panel’s published timetable would extend beyond the election. Jersey Water was not aware that draft legislation was in development or that it was to be lodged, until less than 24 hours before.
“Jersey Water considers that proposals of this scale should be developed with effective early engagement with the public water supplier, including clear consideration of feasibility, treatment options, programme risk, capital and operating costs, funding route and impacts on customer bills. Jersey Water has requested clarity, verbally and in writing, on how the stages to achieve that would be governed and coordinated in anticipation of a future legal limit.”
Previously, the Environment Minister has said that his responsibility was to make drinking water as safe as possible, he was simply following the recommendation of expert advisors, and he wanted to do something meaningful on PFAS before the end of this political term.
Meanwhile, in a letter published on page 14, former Jersey Water managing director Howard Snowden said: “Given the fact that a larger proportion of exposure to PFAS and related compounds is from everyday items we use, the proposition to target drinking water is not sensible – certainly not science based.
“I would urge the politicians to step back and think very carefully when they decide on this proposition and the implications this will have on everyone, with no discernible benefit to public health.”
