Northern Ireland Water Ltd fined for pollution offence

Northern Ireland Water Ltd (NIW) was fined £500 plus £22 court costs at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court on 4 January 2010 for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 20 February 2008, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service) visited Saintfield Sports Club, Comber Road, Saintfield, and observed what appeared to be untreated sewage discharging from a man-hole at a corner of the cricket field.

A band of sewage and sewage related debris was noted as running over the ground and discharging into an adjacent waterway, a tributary of the Carsons Dam, River Quoile and this was reported to NIW.

Subsequent enquiries by the Inspector revealed that the discharge had been reported to NIW on 16 February 2008 and again on 17 February 2008 by members of Saintfield Cricket Club.

The blockage was cleared and the discharge ceased on 20 February 2008. However, the Inspector re-visited the site on 21 February 2008 and observed a significant quantity of sewage related debris in the waterway and for some 50 metres downstream of the discharge point.

A sample taken on 20 February 2008 confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious and polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

Notes to editors:

1. NIW 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.
2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014. Out of office hours, contact the EIS duty press officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.