HC Deb 20 November 1987 vol 122 cc680-1W
Mr. John D. Taylor

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated daily tonnage of(a) untreated foul sewage presently entering Strangford lough and (b) additional sewage from the proposed salmon farms in Strangford lough; and if sewage effluent was a factor in his refusal of the salmon farm application for Strangford lough.

Mr. Needham

[holding answer 19 November 1987]: Of the 19,500 tonnes of sewage effluent discharged each day into Strangford lough, 1,030 tonnes, estimated to include 0.4 tonnes of solid waste, receive no treatment at present. However, when the new sewage works now under construction at Killyleagh, at a cost of some £1.4 million, are fully operational, the currently untreated discharge will be receiving full biological treatment. Salmon farming on the scale proposed for Strangford lough could have produced 0.5–14 tonnes of solid waste daily. The possible effect of such a quantity of waste was a factor in the decision to refuse a consent under the Water Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.