Post by Nocturne on Apr 12, 2011 9:30:45 GMT
POLLUTION caused by Welsh Water resulted in the deaths of about 50 fish and eels.
Welsh Water admitted causing crude sewage and poisonous matter to flow into Nant Cefn Glas river in Bridgend on or before February 13 last year, Bridgend magistrates’ heard.
It denied any prior knowledge or responsibility for the overspill, caused by a blockage, and said it had addressed the problem as quickly as possible after being notified by a customer and the Environment Agency.
Martin Rees, prosecuting, said inspections were carried out in which 11 dead eels and 43 dead fish were found, as well as sewage fungus on the riverbed.
A “carcass count” a few days later found 19 fish and one eel.
Mr Rees added that it was a built-up area so there were small localised implications, but said conditions upstream of the spill were “not pristine” either.
Richard Kimblin, defending, said: “It is inevitable that there will be prosecutions of this sort.
“It’s a tricky operation, bring- ing dangerous material close to places it is not meant to be, and from time to time things happen.
“There is no culpability; we are looking at impact, and there was some impact.”
He added that the combined sewage overflow which caused the blockage was not known about, and there was no record of it in Welsh Water’s system as it had been installed by the council to help reduce the risk of floods.
He said: “The incident was reported at 9.45am and Welsh Water contractors attended at 11.45am.
“They spent days on site cleaning up and they had done as much as they could.”
Welsh Water was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £4,550.61.
Read More www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/04/12/welsh-water-fined-over-fish-deaths-91466-28502022/#ixzz1JIdFBYeV
Welsh Water admitted causing crude sewage and poisonous matter to flow into Nant Cefn Glas river in Bridgend on or before February 13 last year, Bridgend magistrates’ heard.
It denied any prior knowledge or responsibility for the overspill, caused by a blockage, and said it had addressed the problem as quickly as possible after being notified by a customer and the Environment Agency.
Martin Rees, prosecuting, said inspections were carried out in which 11 dead eels and 43 dead fish were found, as well as sewage fungus on the riverbed.
A “carcass count” a few days later found 19 fish and one eel.
Mr Rees added that it was a built-up area so there were small localised implications, but said conditions upstream of the spill were “not pristine” either.
Richard Kimblin, defending, said: “It is inevitable that there will be prosecutions of this sort.
“It’s a tricky operation, bring- ing dangerous material close to places it is not meant to be, and from time to time things happen.
“There is no culpability; we are looking at impact, and there was some impact.”
He added that the combined sewage overflow which caused the blockage was not known about, and there was no record of it in Welsh Water’s system as it had been installed by the council to help reduce the risk of floods.
He said: “The incident was reported at 9.45am and Welsh Water contractors attended at 11.45am.
“They spent days on site cleaning up and they had done as much as they could.”
Welsh Water was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £4,550.61.
Read More www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/04/12/welsh-water-fined-over-fish-deaths-91466-28502022/#ixzz1JIdFBYeV
