Co Down farmer fined for polluting discharge to a waterway

A Co Down farmer was fined £300 plus court costs at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court today.

Thomas Lilburn, of Redhill Road, Dromore, Co. Down, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 26 September 2007, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service) observed an unnamed tributary of the River Lagan and found it to have a heavy fungal growth caused by farm effluent. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a farm owned by Mr Lilburn.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious and polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving watercourse.

Notes to Editors:

1. Mr Lilburn was charged under Article 7 (1) (a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 with the offence of making a polluting discharge to a waterway, namely an unnamed tributary of the River Lagan.
2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.