United Utilities has been fined £10,000 for discharging raw sewage into a tributary of Bushburn Brook, Langho. They have also been ordered to pay costs of £1,524.84.

United Utilities pleaded guilty earlier this month at Accrington and Hyndburn Magistrates Court, to the offence of causing sewage effluent to be discharged into controlled waters.  The pollution occurred in March 2008 when a sewer partially collapsed, reducing its carrying capacity.  As a result, untreated sewage backed up in the sewer pipe and discharged via a storm overflow into the water, causing harm to the ecology of the watercourse and sewage fungus to grow on the river bed.  When this incident occurred, United Utilities had no systems in place to alert them to the problem at this particular location.

The Court heard that the Environment Agency was alerted to the incident by a call from a member of the public, who had seen sewage litter in the brook.

Untreated sewage was also discharged illegally, into the same watercourse, in November 2007 and February 2008.  Both of these incidents were caused by blockages in the sewer overflow.  The Company did not take all appropriate measures following the earlier incidents to investigate the condition of the sewer thoroughly.

United Utilities has a consent to discharge storm sewage when the flow in the sewer is high, such as during periods of heavy rainfall.  In these circumstances, any sewage discharge would be diluted by rainwater and the brook would be in high flow.  This incident occurred in relatively dry weather conditions and therefore was not permitted under the company’s discharge consent.

Commenting on the case, Lee Collins, Environment Officer said, “This was a serious incident which caused harm to the eco system of the watercourse.  United Utilities own and operate the sewer network in the region and are responsible for resolving any issues.  This incident caused significant damage to the environment, which could have been avoided.  Since then, United Utilities has installed a remote alarm on this overflow to notify them if a discharge occurs.”