Reason found for smelly douit

Wednesday 09 February 2022

Investigations have unearthed the cause of unusually dirty and smelly water in a douit along the Saumarez Park nature trail.

It was found that a neighbouring property development project off the Route de Carteret was pumping groundwater into the douit via attenuation to filter out silt and mud.

This is said to be common practice for developments above a high water table to prevent site flooding and to allow ordinary building operations, such as pouring concrete, to be carried out successfully.

The project is being led by Swallow Services Ltd., which is building around 20 homes on fields next to part of the nature trail.

It is believed that the bad odour and colour of the water in the douit was down to the depth and nature of the groundwater which was removed and ended up in there. 

⁦An awful smell along La Mare Nature Trail path by the playing fields coming from whatever is being pumped into the Douit @GuernseyWater⁩, it might be worth somebody checking it out? pic.twitter.com/nXEH1bvkSw

— Mary Lowe (@MaryLowe501) February 1, 2022

Pictured: Former Vale Deputy Mary Lowe highlighted the issue on Twitter and other passers-by also reported the stench to the authorities. 

The problem was investigated by Guernsey Water and officials at the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure. 

The authorities have now requested that the pumped groundwater should be redirected from the douit into a sump - a cesspool or pit - on the building site itself.

They said: “The attenuation was insufficient to prevent discoloration of the water in the douit. That continued pumping may damage the douit banks bordering the pathway, possibly leading to collapse and flooding.

“The developers have been requested by both departments [Guernsey Water and the Committee for the Environment & Infrastructure] to remediate both the discoloured water and any possible damage, which they have already commenced.”