Company faces large fine over water unfit for human consumption

A WATER firm is facing a substantial fine after it pleaded guilty to supplying water that was unfit for human consumption to hundreds of thousands of customers in the North of England.

United Utilities is being prosecuted by the Drinking Water Inspectorate after about 700,000 people in Lancashire had to boil their water in the summer of 2015 when microbial parasite cryptosporidium was found in the Franklaw water treatment works in Preston.

Lisa Roberts QC, who appeared at Preston Magistrates’ Court yesterday on behalf of United Utilities, entered the guilty plea to the charge of supplying water unfit for human consumption between July 30, 2015, and August 18, 2015.

During the hearing, District Judge Jane Goodwin agreed to formally withdraw charges against the company of failing to disinfect water that was supplied for domestic purposes and failing to design and continuously operate an adequate treatment process before supplying water for domestic purposes.

Richard Banwell, counsel for the Drinking Water Inspectorate, asked for the case to be sent to crown court.

Mr Banwell added: “It is likely there will be a substantial fine in this case.”

The hearing was adjourned yesterday to August 21 when sentencing will take place at Preston Crown Court.

In a statement released after the hearing, a United Utilities spokesman said: “We have taken a full and open role with the DWI during its investigation and complied with all its requests for information.

“A full programme of remedial and repair work has already been implemented to safeguard future supplies.”