IRIS Sewage system running costs

Summary

The request sought total running costs for the IRIS sewage system for 2020/2021, including admin, wages, and maintenance. The authority disclosed energy consumption and costs for pumping stations and the Meary Veg site but refused to provide other cost breakdowns due to the substantial compilation required.

Key Facts

• Energy costs for IRIS pumping stations and Meary Veg site were disclosed for the 2020/2021 financial year.
• Information regarding admin, wages, maintenance, repairs, parts, and subcontractor fees was withheld.
• The refusal was based on the practical reason that compiling the remaining data would require substantial effort.
• The authority noted that demand and capacity charges were not included in the disclosed energy figures.
• Applicants were directed to Annual Reports for broader sewerage financial data.

Data Disclosed

• 2020/2021 financial year
• 01/04/2020 – 31/03/2021
• 6,700,085 Kwh
• £900,945.47
• 5,955,128 Kwh
• £789,783.75
• 12,655,213 Kwh
• £1,690,729.22
• £1,707,636.51
• 1p
• case_id: 2177273

Exemptions Cited

• Substantial compilation or collation of information

Original Request

Please provide the total running costs of the IRIS sewage system for the 2020/2021 financial year to include all admin, wages, maintenance, repairs, parts, sub contractors fees and energy consumption of all installations and pumping stations and meary veg treatment works

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Manx Utilities PO Box 177, Douglas Isle of Man, IM99 1PS

e: enquiries@manxutilities.im t: 01624 687687 www.manxutilities.im

Our ref: 2177273 28 January 2022

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 6 January 2022 and which states:

"Please provide the total running costs of the IRIS sewage system for the 2020/2021 financial year to include all admin, wages, maintenance, repairs, parts, sub contractors fees and energy consumption of all installations and pumping stations and meary veg treatment works"

Our response to your request is as follows.
Detailed below is some of the information that was extractable; specifically relating to the pumping stations and Meary Veg site energy consumption and cost. IRIS SITES 01/04/2020 – 31/03/2021 Kwh Usage Total £ PUMPING STATIONS 6,700,085 £900,945.47 * MEARY VEG 5,955,128 £789,783.75 Total 12,655,213 £1,690,729.22 £16,907.29 ** +0.01 £1,707,636.51 * This is the whole consumption at the Meary Veg site and its works; to include Sewage Treatment Works (STW), sludge dryer, septic tank intake, the offices and outbuildings. ** Demand and capacity charges not included could expect to raise average unit price by approx. 1p. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance a practical refusal reason applies, as complying with your request for the remaining information (‘admin, wages, maintenance, repairs, parts, sub contractors fees’) would require Manx Utilities to undertake substantial compilation or collation of information that it holds.
Which Manx Utilities is not required to do under the Act. With this said, for further advice and assistance, you may find useful to take a look at our published Annual Reports Financial Statements, the latest copies of which can be found on our website: https://www.manxutilities.im/about-us/annual-reports- financialstatements/annual-reports-financial-statements/

The latest annual report provides some useful information as the financials are segmented for each service provision; • page 20 a Sewerage overview, • page 68 overall sewerage treatment and infrastructure charges/costs, and • page 75-77 for fixed assets and vehicles. Manx Utilities do not hold the information in a way that would allow segregation of costs, specifically and solely for IRIS sewage treatment. To derive these figures would require a significant analysis and collation of each of these figures, and include a number of assumptions. Please quote the reference number 2177273 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date.