By Carole Dennett
‘There’s no water shortage’
That’s the claim from the operator of an unlicensed car wash in Shalfleet – despite the Island being in drought conditions, under a hosepipe ban, and despite him paying less than £250 towards the site’s shared water supply over the last eight months.
The owner of Shalfleet Garage, Chris Cornford, says he has now been left with “no choice” but to block access to the car wash, which operates next to land he jointly owns. He says weeks of complaints about staff illness, chemical exposure, and polluted water entering the local environment “fell on deaf ears” when he tried to get help from the Isle of Wight Council, Southern Water, and the Environment Agency.
Mr Cornford, who is also a director of the IW Observer, said: “If a law abiding business tried to do this, it would be shut down straight away. But if you just ignore all the rules you seem to get away with anything. It’s easy to make money when you ignore regulations everybody else must abide by. All the agencies paid to ensure public safety sat on their hands until the IW Observer contacted their press offices.”
Co-landowner, Kevin Sykes, who rented the site to car wash operator, Marian Mircea, who also goes by the name of Max West, said: “I wish he wasn’t there in the first place,” but added that he did not want to become involved.
Meanwhile, staff at Shalfleet Garage have reported eye irritation, breathing difficulties, and skin discomfort, with one employee currently off work and frightened to return.
Another employee said: “By the middle of the morning your eyes are stinging and your throat feels tight, and it gets worse as the day goes on. I’m frightened of the long term effects of breathing in all these chemicals.”
Customers have complained about the smell and getting soaked with contaminated water. He also gets customers of the car wash asking him to refund their money, because the unit is not operating properly as there is nobody responsible on-site.
The car wash uses corrosive chemicals, classified as UN3266, with safety sheets warning of “severe skin burns and eye damage” and instructing: “Do not allow product to enter drains.”
Despite this, the car wash continues to operate without planning permission, proper drainage, environmental approvals, or any controls.
Southern Water finally visited the site on Wednesday. Their officers confirmed contaminated water “is entering the environment via an uncontrolled drainage route”, is visible in a ditch “polluted and accompanied by a strong chemical smell”. They concluded: “The contamination is from chemicals associated with site operations which is polluting the local and onward environment.”
Mr Cornford says the ditch runs into the Caul Bourne, which flows into Newtown Creek, owned by the National Trust. Countryside manager, Paul Davies, said: “Newtown National Nature Reserve is a nationally important site for wildlife. Protecting this sensitive environment is vital.”
Southern Water also warned there may be back siphoning of contaminated water into the mains supply shared by three other businesses.
Mr Mircea has paid only £242 towards the shared unmetered water bill in eight months, despite agreeing to pay £1,200. Southern Water told Mr Cornford he may now face a backdated charge for the increased usage – a bill he says he has “no chance” of recovering from the operator. During a discussion yesterday (Thursday), Mr Mircea repeatedly denied the drought conditions: “There’s no water shortage,” he said. He also claimed that his wife, who is an NHS doctor, could access medical reports when Mr Cornford told him about the effects of the chemicals on his staff.
The Environment Agency was first informed in June that wastewater containing powerful solvents, detergents and other pollutants was being discharged directly into the environment. Although it initially classified the case as “low risk”, it has now issued a statement saying it is working on a co-ordinated response with the Council and Southern Water. A spokesman said: “Where we identify breaches of environmental regulations or impacts to the environment, we will take appropriate enforcement action.”
After an Environmental Health visit yesterday, the IW Council said it was working with partner agencies and would consider “secure, appropriate and lawful enforcement action”, advising the IW Observer to “get back in touch in the coming weeks”.
Neighbouring business owner, Sean Rayner, said he was relieved agencies were finally taking the matter seriously and wanted them “to move quickly” to find a satisfactory outcome.
When contacted for comment, Mr Mercia threatened to sue the IW Observer for harassment.
The IW Council is already taking enforcement action against Mr Mircea for another car wash in Totland, operating without planning permission. He has appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, claiming permission is not required because a hand car wash previously operated on the site, although planning considerations are entirely different. He also posted on-line saying he would “claim benefits” if his business was closed.
Mr Cornford said: “I have a legal duty to provide a safe working environment for my employees – and I simply cannot do that while this car wash is operating. I also don’t see why I should pay for water that he is using to make money by washing cars while polluting the environment.
“I’ve tried so hard to sort this out without involving the IW Observer, but only now does anyone seem to be taking notice.”
Tilly Walder 
Mal Butler