Letter: What is the real cost of water pollution?

Who and what has polluted the South Bay, and is our money been wisely spent?
What is the cause of the pollution in South Bay?What is the cause of the pollution in South Bay?
What is the cause of the pollution in South Bay?

Most people are able see the scum and discoloured water pollution, floating out at sea at the Queen’s Parade area, from left to right like a giant snake.

It did not come as a surprise to councillors that our South Bay beach water quality, dropped from excellent to poor during the end of summer and was a cause of concern again, to many others.

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In the past couple of years nearly 70 actions were undertaken against potential sources. What has been done about known sources? What will another major survey and DNA profiling cost?

Why is it taking so long for the council’s so called, comprehensive investigations over the years, which have not found the cause of the pollution and have so far failed the town.

Since as early as 2003 the South Bay has failed in its water quality and this year, it has now been downgraded further to poor.

The council must now place warning signs to inform visitors of the poor bathing water around the South Bay.

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How much will this down grading of Scarborough’s South Bay beach/water cost us in our staying and daily visiting tourists numbers?

This is yet to be worked out, and where exactly are these small, medium or large warning signs going to be placed?

Will other signs be suitably placed, informing visitors and locals to visit the North Bay beach area instead where the water quality is of a high Blue Flag standard?

As a local born lad, I and many others have seen the standard of our beaches and water quality dropping over the years. We remember the sea-weed, mussels and winkles abundant around our coastline, but they are now practically bare of all life.

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Local fisherman, surfers and the public have for years told the council of their concerns but without much success it seems.

The article told us residents nothing that was new, except the down grading of the South Bay water to poor.

We, the residents of Scarborough, wish to know the truth and demand the answers to our questions.

(a) Has any warnings/fines been issued to business in regard to the pollution?

(b) What are the main ingredients of the pollution?

(c) Who have we paid for these investigations?

(d) Who are we paying now for these investigations?

(e) Finally what has been the total cost of the actions and investigations since 2003?

Phil McDonald

Wreyfield Drive

Scarborough