Northern Ireland Water fined £2,000 for pollution offence

Northern Ireland Water (NI Water) was today fined £2,000 plus £25 court costs at Belfast Magistrates’ Court for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.

On 8 December 2008, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service), visited Newtownbreda Wastewater Treatment Works and met with a representative of NI Water. The inspector explained that there had been a complaint of a polluting overflow from the Works.

The inspector found that one of the two storm tanks was full and there was a significant overflow occurring to the River Lagan in dry weather, even though the second storm tank was not full. A grey pollution plume in the River Lagan was observed.

A sample taken on 8 December 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. NI Water 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 0003 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.