Scottish Water fined £3,000 for pollution blunder

SCOTTISH Water has been fined more than £3,000 after admitting that a blunder by two engineers left thousands of homes with undrinkable greasy water.

The error repairing a burst main led to the water being contaminated, disrupting supplies to more than 6,000 households in Lanarkshire.

An inquiry was ordered in June 2015 after residents reported an ‘oily-based substance’ in the water which stank.

Customers were told not to cook, drink or wash with their tapwater due to concerns about its taste and smell. Hundreds of thousands of bottles of drinking water were distributed to homes and businesses in Carfin, Bellshill, Newarthill, Chapelhall and New Stevenston.

Queues formed at static tanks to collect water for other household needs.

Residents were given leaflets advising them not to use the tapwater – even by boiling it. Three people, including a pregnant woman, fell ill. Scottish Water has spent £20million to prevent a recurrence. At Hamilton Sheriff Court, the company admitted supplying contaminated water unfit to drink to 6,081 homes between June 17 and June 19, 2015, and was fined £3,250.

The court heard that two workmen did not follow the safety drill while carrying out repairs.

They failed to spot closed valves which allowed pollutants to enter the supply from a disused pipe. Fiscal depute Nicola Dodds said: ‘Broken spindles on the valves gave the impression they were open when they were shut. Scottish Water received reports from consumers that the water was discoloured and there was a fuel-type taste.

‘Scottish Water’s processes failed to protect the system adequately in this case.

‘Necessary checks on the system were not carried out prior to the work.’

Tests showed the water contained hydrocarbons, iron, aluminium and manganese but was not dangerous.

Scottish Water chief Peter Farrer said: ‘This incident was very regrettable and we apologise for the disruption it caused.’