The Environment Agency has prosecuted United Utilities over a sewage spill pollution incident at Walverden Water, Lancashire.
The company has been fined £6,000 plus costs of £3,575.84 following a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency for a pollution incident that occurred as a result of a sewage spill into Walverden Water in Nelson, Lancashire.
The Environment Agency was alerted to the pollution on the 13 June 2009 by reports from members of the public. On inspection Walverden Water was found to be polluted with milky white deposits which were settling on the river sides and river bed. The pollution could also be seen in Pendle Water where it meets with Walverden Water approximately 200 metres downstream.
An Environment Officer notified United Utilities of the pollution. Investigation found that there was a blockage in the sewerage system and this was causing sewage to discharge via a storm overflow. The overflow should only discharge in times of high flows caused by wet weather. The blockage was cleared by United Utilities on the evening of 14 June and the discharge stopped.
Follow up investigations found that there had been an alarm from the overflow on the 10 June 2009 during heavy rain and this had failed to clear after the rain had stopped. This should have alerted United Utilities to the problem but although the company had attended the site it had not identified that there was a blockage and discharge to the river.
Ecological surveys carried out by the Environment Agency found that the pollution had a serious impact on the water quality and ecology of the watercourse with a number of dead stone loach and bullheads.
Simon Boocock, Environment Officer for the Environment Agency said:
“The Environment Agency take all pollution incidents seriously. The company’s failure to respond to the alarm meant that sewage was discharged into Walverden Water for four days. This resulted in a significant amount of pollution that had a serious impact on water quality and the ecology within Walverden Water. “
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