United Utilities Fined £32,000 for Water Pollution Offences

Magistrates this week fined water company United Utilities a total of £32,000 after they admitted three breaches of conditions of Discharge Consents relating to discharges at three treatment works.

United Utilities is the sewerage undertaker for the region and has a Consent to Discharge treated sewage effluent into certain waters. The Consent is subject to conditions intended to control the quality of discharge and provide protection to the receiving waters.

In the first case, the company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £902.88 costs. The Environment Agency told the Court that tests over the period 18 October 2001 to 23 January 2002 on discharges showed that the company had twice contravened the limits for discharge of sewage effluent to controlled waters, contrary to section 85 (6) of the Water Resources Act 1991.

In the second case, the company was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £1,086.10. The Court heard that discharges to the River Mersey from Warrington Wastewater Treatment Works had contravened the limits for discharge of sewage effluent to controlled waters, contrary to section 85 (6) of the Water Resources Act 1991.

In the third case the company was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £2,061.63 costs. The Court heard that, on 6 November 2001, the company had contravened the limits for discharge of sewage effluent to controlled waters, contrary to section 85 (6) of the Water Resources Act 1991, on discharges to the tidal Manchester Ship Canal from Runcorn Wastewater Treatment Works. Two other offences were taken into consideration by the Court.
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