NI Water fined for polluting river

NORTHERN Ireland Water has been fined £16,500 for polluting a County Tyrone river from two sources in the same area — the second incident happening after action was taken to remedy the first.

Appearing in the dock of Dungannon Crown Court was the company’s Director of Assets Delivery, Paul Harper, who pleaded guilty to causing pollution of a waterway on May 9, 11 and 12, 2017.

NI Environment Agency inspectors discovered discharged debris had entered the Ballygawley River from an NI Water outlet.

Samples showed this to contain levels of pollution which could have been harmful to aquatic life. Although some fish were showing signs of distress, there was no fish kill.

NI Water discovered and removed a blockage at the Ballygawley Church Combined Storm Overflow (CSO) site.

However, on visiting the site on May 11, inspectors noted effluent was continuing to enter the river.

The problem was found to be at another CSO and remedial action was taken.

Prosecution counsel pointed out that this was the third case against NI Water to reach Crown Court, and other matters were in Magistrates Courts.

A defence barrister said NI Water became a government company in 2007, taking on 1,030 treatment works and 43,000 kilometres of sewerage network and water mains.

He said: “This brings its challenges. This system and infrastructure inherited is in need of radical overhaul.”

He added that the issue was caused by the disposal of inappropriate items.

“There are certain materials one simply should not be putting into the system, whether that is down the toilet or into the sewer,” he said.

NI Water, the court heard, has embarked on an awareness campaign to discourage this and prevent blockages.

The defence concluded that if NI Water was subjected to substantial fines it would have to reduce some services due to budgetary constrictions.

Judge Stephen Fowler QC noted the company has no shareholders and operates to provide a public service and not for direct profit.

He said: “Taking into account all circumstances the appropriate fine will be £16,500.”

Afterwards, an NI Water spokesperson said it takes its environmental responsibility with the “utmost seriousness” and that it “has invested £500m in the network over the last three years, helping make our rivers and beaches the cleanest that they have ever been”.

“Unfortunately, on this occasion, we failed to maintain the highly exacting standards that we set ourselves,” the spokesperson added.