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The Environment Minister has approved a request from Jersey Water to allow the utility company to continue to exceed the maximum allowed concentration of nitrates in the island's mains water supply.
Jersey Water stressed that the dispensation request approved by Deputy Steve Luce last month represents a "precautionary measure" and is "the most stringent we have applied for to date".
Under a 1972 law, 50mg of nitrates are permitted per litre of mains water, but Deputy Luce has the authority to make exemptions if certain conditions are met.
Pictured: 50mg of nitrates are permitted per litre of mains water, but an exemption was made for Jersey Water by Environment Minister Steve Luce.
Jersey Water's recently-approved request will apply until 31 December 2028 and is subject to several requirements, including that no regulatory sample can exceed 55 mg/l and that no more than 10% of the samples can exceed 50 mg/l.
The move continues a period of dispensation in previously in place from 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021, with a temporary extension granted to 31 December 2023.
Deputy Luce noted that this time there are "more stringent conditions", moving closer to continually meeting the maximum allowed concentration.
He wrote: "Jersey Water has limited influence on the sources of high nitrate levels in the water it receives and utilises for public supply.
"The general trends in surface water streams and groundwater show a slow reduction in nitrate levels with episodic spikes associated with periods of high rainfall.
"This may demonstrate early signs of improvement in agricultural practice and nutrient management."
He pointed out that Jersey Water is "mainly reliant" on the collection and storage of surface water streams and "thus does not always have the means of blending surface and sub-surface waters" in order to comply with the some of the Law's requirements.
Pictured: "The general trends in surface water streams and groundwater show a slow reduction in nitrate levels."
Deputy Luce continued: "Levels of nitrates in source water in the island are related to rainfall.
"At certain times of year there is insufficient variation in the quality of available water resources to enable the effective blending of source water to achieve the MAC [Maximum Allowed Concentration] of 50mg/l for nitrate.
"Jersey Water has instigated various measures to reduce the concentration of nitrates, including online monitoring at water resource sites to enable blending of source water at critical times.
"Residual pesticides in raw waters, including the legacy pesticide oxadixyl, adds a further layer of complexity to the company’s decision making when blending available water resources."
Deputy Luce also said that "all parties" recognised that retaining the existing dispensation levels indefinitely was "unsustainable" and that "continued dispensations will not act as a driver for further improvement".
He added: "The dispensation contains more stringent conditions moving closer to continually meeting the MAC of 50mg/l."
Jeanette Sheldon, Water Quality Manager for Jersey Water, said the utility company was reliant on "good farming practices" and "effective regulation" to mitigate the risk of nitrate pollution in the island’s water supplies.
Pictured: Jeanette Sheldon is the Water Quality Manager for Jersey Water. (Jersey Water)
She continued: "Thanks to the strong, ongoing working relationship between Jersey Water and the farming community, there has been notable progress made to control the use of chemicals in agriculture, which has led to a significant reduction in the levels of nitrates entering the environment from fertilisers.
"For more than a decade, there has not been a nitrate failure in treated drinking water.
"We consider applying for a nitrate dispensation a precautionary measure, as we have not needed to use one for at least ten years, which reflects the improvements in this area."
Ms Sheldon added: "This dispensation is the most stringent we have applied for to date and would only be used in exceptional circumstances and in full consultation with the Environment Department.
"We will continue to work with the Government of Jersey and the farming community, through the Action for Cleaner Water Group, to manage and reduce nitrate concentrations further, ensuring that our treated water supplies continue to comply with regulatory standards."
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