Record Weekly Cesspit Collections
Guernsey Water is reporting record levels of cesspit collections following exceptionally heavy rainfall last week.
Despite recent brighter weather, February is on track to be the wettest on record since 1978, with final figures expected to be confirmed next week. The sustained rainfall has placed significant pressure on the cesspit service, resulting in unprecedented demand.
During the last week alone, Guernsey Water’s cesspit teams completed 4,422 collections, an increase of 7% compared to the previous week. This equates to 295 additional collections, each involving travel to site, setup, emptying and return to the disposal point, all carried out in extremely challenging weather conditions.
These results were achieved without additional resources
The service also recorded the highest number of emergency cesspit collections ever completed in a single day, with 65 emergency callouts. Nearly 10% of all collections that day were emergencies, with 40 reported by 10.30am.
Emergency collections require scheduled work to be reorganised at short notice, with close coordination between customer services staff, cesspit managers and drivers to ensure urgent cases are prioritised while maintaining the wider service. The volume and speed at which emergency requests were received placed considerable strain on teams, and Guernsey Water thanks customers for their patience during this period.
Business Change Manager Andrea Simpson said:
“The volume of rainfall we experienced placed exceptional pressure on the cesspit service, and demand rose very quickly as a result. Our teams worked extremely hard in difficult conditions to maintain the service and prioritise emergency collections, while continuing to support scheduled work where possible. We’re grateful to customers for their patience during what was a very challenging period”
After a drier few days, the service has been recovering from the intense activity experienced last week. To support this recovery, some scheduled collections may have been rearranged.
Customers are encouraged to sign up to the My Cesspit Portal, a free online service that provides up-to-date information about individual cesspit collections: mycesspit.water.gg
Customers who noticed their cesspit filling more quickly than usual during the recent heavy rainfall are advised to contact a drainage company to check for possible leaks.
Guernsey Water would like to thank customers for their understanding and patience, and to recognise the continued efforts of its teams in maintaining essential wastewater services during exceptionally difficult conditions.