Desalination plant, water storage and inert waste all in the mix for Les Vardes

Friday 25 October 2024

Proposals for the future use of Les Vardes quarry are expected to be published by February.

So far Environment & Infrastructure’s work has looked at the potential for a desalination plant, a reservoir, dumping inert waste or a combination of the latter two.

Ronez has begun work to quarry at Chouet as it transitions away from Les Vardes, which is earmarked for 2028.

Environment and Infrastructure president Deputy Lindsay de Sausmarez provided an update on its work to decide what happens next to the States this week.

 “The work to inform the future strategic use of Les Vardes Quarry is comprehensive and necessarily technical and complex. 

"There's been, from both water and inert waste perspectives, a lot of engineering design work, associated costs, and strategic environmental assessment reports to help determine feasibility and to enable direct comparisons between waste and water options, taking into account the island's long-term needs.

“Scenarios that have been explored include the use of Les Vardes quarry for inert waste only, for water storage only, and for water storage after inert waste disposal, which the first phase of work determined was technically possible, albeit there is no known precedent for this kind of hybrid use anywhere else.”

Deputy de Sausmarez said that the full range of options includes these uses for water and waste, but also that a desalination plant was still on the menu as well. 

“The policy letter which we will bring to the Assembly as soon as possible will therefore help to inform States members' decisions in relation to the optimal future use of Les Vardes, taking into account the island's long-term strategic requirements with respect to both inert waste and water storage.”

Pictured: Deputy de Sausmarez has issued an update on work to decide the future of Les Vardes quarry. 

Deputy Charles Parkinson asked when exactly an update would be provided. 

“This is the moment where I hold myself hostage to fortune, but we are hoping to, I don't know exactly the date of publication, but I believe, we are aiming for the first States meeting in February," said Deputy de Sausmarez.

"So there we are. We'll be held hostage to fortune if that one slips, but we are indeed looking to publish that as soon as is possible. Deputy Parkison, I know, shares my enthusiasm to resolve this issue.”