Ballasalla Pumping Station

Summary

A request was made regarding the operational history and capacity of the Ballasalla Pumping Station, to which the authority disclosed maintenance records and peak flow data but confirmed it did not hold information on upstream system capacity.

Key Facts

• There have been no blockages at the Ballasalla sewerage pumping station in the past 24 months.
• One mechanical failure occurred in the past 24 months but did not impact performance due to a three-pump configuration.
• The station operates with a duty/assist/standby pump setup.
• The pumping station can operate at a peak capacity of 800 m3 per hour during significant rainfall.
• Manx Utilities does not hold specific data on additional capacity upstream of the station.

Data Disclosed

• 24 months
• 800 m3 per hour
• 7 December 2017
• 2017-12-22
• IM113008I

Exemptions Cited

• Section 8(3)a of the Freedom of Information Act 2015 (Information not held)

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Manx Utilities • PO Box 177 • Douglas • Isle of Man • IM99 1PS e: foi@manxutilities.im • t: 687687 • www.manxutilities.im

REFERENCE NUMBER IM113008I

REQUEST UNDER THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2015 (“the Act”)

Thank you for your online application dated 7 December 2017 requesting the following information:

1) How many times has the IRIS pumping station, adjacent to Ballasalla Railway Station, needed to be cleared due to blockages or pump/mechanical failure over the past 24 months? 2) At what capacity is the Ballasalla Pumping Station running at? 3) What additional capacity is there in the system upstream of the Ballasalla pumping station?

Response to your request

1) There have been no blockages within the Ballasalla sewerage pumping station within the past 24 months. There has been one mechanical failure within this period. This failure did not impact on performance since the station operates a three pump duty/assist/standby configuration. The excellent reliability of this station during the period is attributable to a proactive preventative maintenance and inspection regime.

2) Observed flows on given dates during significant rainfall events indicate that the pumping station can operate at a peak of 800 m3 per hour.

3) Whilst our aim is to provide information wherever possible, in this instance, under section 8(3)a of the Act, we confirm that Manx Utilities does not hold the information you have requested. However, we can advise you that the rising main linking the Ballasalla pumping station to the Blackboards pumping station (and then to the Meary Veg sewage treatment works) has been designed to accommodate the pump flows from Ballasalla and the South.

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 at the address or email below. An electronic and paper version of our complaint form can also be found on our website. If you would like a paper version of our complaint form sent to you by post, please don’t hesitate to let us know. 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 rights to review is on the Information Commissioner’s website at: www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Yours sincerely

Coordination Team