A reading showing 5μg/L [microgrammes per litre] of the weedkiller glyphosate was found by Jersey Water in its testing of an inlet stream at Queen’s Valley on 4 February, the JEP can reveal.
The chemical, which is used in commercial agriculture in the Island and also appears in gardening products such as Roundup, is tested for by Jersey Water at various locations on what they describe as ‘a regular basis’.
The States-owned utility’s chief executive, Helier Smith, said that the regulatory limit for glyphosate is 0.1μg/L but he emphasised that the finding in February had not affected the Island’s drinking water supply in any way.
Mr Smith explained that the reading was taken at the head of the stream but had not shown up in the reservoir itself, as it had become diluted by the main body of water.
He added that Queen’s Valley was also not being used to supply drinking water at the time that the reading was taken.
‘That was one reading from one of the streams,’ he said. ‘The reading from the following week was 0.146μg/L, so it had dropped off considerably, suggesting that it was a point-source pollution [pollution that comes from a single identifiable source, such as a chemical spill] which had then disappeared.’
Readings of this nature are routinely reported to the Environment Department, according to Mr Smith, so that an investigation can be carried out to try to identify the source of the pollution.
An Environment spokeswoman confirmed that point-source pollution incidents were always investigated and, if needed, action would be taken.
‘We are continually working across government and industry to ensure that water supplies are protected,’ she said. ‘Any such incidents, once reported, are fully investigated and action will be taken, if appropriate, in conjunction with Jersey Water.
‘We cannot be complacent with our water quality and we will continue with a package of education and enforcement to ensure the public are protected.’
However, chief executive of the National Trust for Jersey, Charles Alluto, said that incidents like these should make all Islanders ‘take a far more careful approach’.
‘This highlights the need for the Island as a whole to take a far more careful approach, as a precautionary principle, to the chemicals it supplies to our land, whether that be on an agricultural basis or on a domestic garden basis’ he said.
‘We all need to take much greater care if we wish to look after both our natural environment and our drinking water.’
Jersey Royal Company technical director, Mike Renouard, said that they use products like glyphosate ‘with great responsibility’ and that they are ‘confident’ the recent reading was not connected to their activities.
‘The Jersey Royal Company uses plant protection products with great responsibility,’ he said. ‘All equipment used is calibrated annually by a third party and uses the latest technologies to reduce spray drift. Operators are fully qualified and continually update their knowledge and training.
‘All applications are recorded and, should any incident occur, then the operator would ensure that any spillage is contained and cleaned up, while reporting any incident to JRC, Jersey Water and the pollution incident team at the Environment Department.
‘We are therefore confident that this probable point source incident was not a result of any of the Jersey Royal Company’s activities.’
