Sutton and East Surrey Water (SESW) has successfully prosecuted Lanes Group plc for illegally filling tankers with water from its hydrants on two separate occasions while working on a contract for Thames Water.
Lanes Group pleaded guilty to six offences at Redhill Magistrates Court on Tuesday 8 March and was fined a total of £5,120.
Rob Baldry, SESW’s Water Quality Science Manager, said:
“The actions by Lane Group’s operatives created significant risk to the safety and security of the drinking water supply. Not only had Lanes Group not paid for this water, but the use of unauthorised large bore standpipes has the potential to disturb sediment in the mains which can lead to discolouration of the water supply. Having worked so hard to produce high quality drinking water, we find it unacceptable that it should then be spoiled by such irresponsible acts”.
SESW had tried to work with Lanes Group; however the company had been found taking water without permission on more than one occasion and had received previous written warnings.
Lanes Group were caught, and photographed, on two separate occasions leading up to the prosecution. The first incident was on 18 September 2015 in Linkfield Lane, Redhill where a two-man crew were seen illegally using water from a hydrant to clear a blocked sewer. Four weeks later on 20 October another of their vehicles was found to be illegally connected to a hydrant in Warlingham.
In Sutton and East Surrey Water’s supply area water must only be taken using an authorised small bore standpipe which, for ease of identification, is coloured bright orange. These are provided by the company’s specialist provider Supply UK Water Services.
The water company hope that the successful prosecution will serve as a warning to others - SESW said it will continue to actively pursue and prosecute anyone who takes water from its mains illegally.
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