21-Nov-2011

Anglian Water Services has been fined a total of £32,000 after two separate pollutions into the same Lincoln stream.

Sewage and trade effluent twice escaped from the drainage system and ended up in the Roaring Meg  Drain causing a serious impact on invertebrates, Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard today (Mon). The company was also ordered to pay full costs of  £3,974.

The stream flows through a residential area where local families, children and dog walkers regularly use the grassed area alongside and where there is a public footpath.

The first pollution was in April this year when a blockage in the foul sewer on Woodhall Drive led to trade and sewage effluent getting into the surface water drain through an access hole, which should have been capped, ending up in the stream.

Three months later there was a further pollution when the foul sewer became blocked with rag, fat, old rods and wood at Nocton Drive causing the foul sewer to surcharge upstream and get into the surface water drain. Surface water drains are designed to carry rainwater away from the streets and into watercourses.

Both incidents were reported to the Environment Agency by members of the public, said Mrs Claire Bentley, prosecuting.

She told magistrates there was a history of the foul sewer system overflowing into the surface water sewer at the site, polluting the stream. Between July 2004 and October 2008 five pollutions were attributed to blockages in the foul sewer and two formal cautions were issued to Anglian Water.

“The defendant was aware of the vulnerability of the system before the 2011 incidents and failed to take appropriate measures to stop it happening again,” she told the court.

“Following the first incident the company failed to prevent the second which happened only three months later.”

70 meters of stream was affected in the first pollution and 50 meters in the second causing a serious effect to the invertebrate community. Even pollution tolerant true worms were completely destroyed where the sewage went into the stream, the court heard.

An Anglian Water manager said after a previous pollution in 2005, work was done to secure the caps on the surface water sewer. After the 2008 pollution a survey was done of all 87 manholes to identify weak spots and missing caps replaced and others secured. They also started a fortnightly visual check and increased the frequency of jetting the system.

In mitigation, the company solicitor Mr Paul Loughran said that following the incident the company had carried out modelling work of the sewer network and had determined that foul and surface water sewers cannot be separated as in cases of flooding the foul sewer offered additional relief.

The company is trialling the use of level monitors within the manhole to provide early warning of increases in sewer level that could indicate a blockage. It is also raising awareness through a fats, oils and grease campaign.

After the hearing Environment Agency officer Anna Ganiford said: “These pollutions have highlighted a problem which the company has taken steps to resolve..

“Our aim is to work closely with water companies to reduce pollution and improve water quality.” 

Anglian Water pleaded guilty to:

Offence 1:

On or about 6 April 2011, you did cause the entry into inland freshwaters, namely the Roaring Meg Drain a tributary of the Nettleham Beck, of poisonous noxious or polluting matter, namely sewage and trade effluent, at Searby Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Contrary to Regulation 12(1)(b) and regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 Fined £14,000

Offence 2:

On or about 4 July 2011, you did cause the entry into inland freshwaters, namely the Roaring Meg Drain a tributary of the Nettleham Beck, of poisonous noxious or polluting matter, namely sewage and trade effluent, at Searby Road, Lincoln, Lincolnshire

Contrary to Regulation 12(1)(b) and regulation 38(1)(a) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 Fined £18,000