WATER bosses could help improve safety by using ultraviolet treatment on sewage, the Portobello inquiry heard.

Chris Hines, of Surfers Against Sewage (SAS), said the treatment - which is not being planned by Southern Water - would make discharges so clean it could be safely pumped into a river.

He added sewage works need not even be based on the coast.

Mr Hines, who was called to give evidence to the public inquiry into Southern Water's proposed sewage treatment works on the beach at Telscombe Cliffs, cited examples of other beaches in the UK where UV treatment has improved the health of water users and boosted tourism.

Mr Hines, general secretary of Surfers Against Sewage, outlined his opposition to the Portobello plans on the grounds that "the provision of secondary treatment (non-UV treatment) to waste water to be wholly inadequate to meet national, regional and local requirements".

He said: "The level of treatment is a relevant and material consideration. The application of tertiary levels (UV treatment) of treatment to waste produces a clean end of pipe discharge.

"Waste water treated to tertiary levels does not need to be discharged through a long sea outfall."

He said this was highly relevant to the current application because it meant the treatment works and point of discharge did not have to be at a coastal location.

"Waste water treated to a secondary level discharged through a long sea outfall is likely to have a number of adverse impacts on recreational water users and on the coastal environment."

Mr Hines pointed out if UV treatment is not provided for Brighton's sewage, it will be one of only three major British resorts not to have it, which would adversely affect tourism as well as health in the area.

He said sewage treated only to secondary levels, as Southern Water propose, can cause a variety of minor infections to eye, ear, nose, stomach, skin and intestines, as well as sometimes more serious diseases such as hepatitis A.

Jersey recently won a prestigious tourism award partly because of its UV sewage treatment system and is actively advertising its high water quality as a tourist attraction.

Mr Hines said it was very likely in the near future the European Union will require higher standards of waste water treatment to be met.

He added: "In order to meet future requirements, Southern Water should introduce tertiary treatment at this time, particularly given the proposed works are not likely to come on stream until 2003."

According to Southern Water, the cost of installing a UV disinfection plant is £2.6 million.

Lionel Read, QC, for Southern Water, pointed out the Environment Agency has not required the company to install tertiary treatment facilities.

He said the company had not ruled out providing this high level of treatment in the future if it was made a requirement.

The inquiry con-

tinues.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.