South West Water fined £30,000 for allowing sewage into Plymouth river
SOUTH West Water has been fined nearly £30,000 for allowing raw sewage to overflow into the Plym estuary.
Bathers were advised not to use beaches around the Hoe after the untreated effluent flowed into the Cattewater from a massive works, Plymouth magistrates heard.
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Tests showed the waters failed the quality standards after the sewage was discharged from Plymouth Central Works in Cattedown in August 2010.
South West Water apologised in court for the incident and blamed a combination of heavy rain, failure of pumps and a delay in supplying equipment.
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But presiding magistrate Geoff Clemerson blamed a "failure of communication" at the company and said he would have expected bosses to better monitor the situation.
South West Water was fined a total of £28,000 and ordered to pay £5,500 in costs.
The company admitted causing the discharge of sewage into controlled waters from the plant near Laira Bridge between August 22 and August 27 2010.
South West Water also admitted contravening its environmental permit by not having a stand-by pump and two offences of failing to notify the Environmental Agency.
Judith Constable, for the agency, said screened or sieved sewage overflowed from a huge storm tank between August 22 and August 25 and again from later on August 25 to August 27.
She said by coincidence the agency took samples from the Hoe bathing waters which failed quality standards for bacteria associated with sewage on August 26.
The court heard bathers were advised not to use the beaches over that Bank Holiday weekend and that patches of sewage were visible in the estuary.
Mrs Constable said a series of pumps which move water from the huge storm drain into the treatment plant began to fail from June. The sewage otherwise overflows into the Cattewater without processing.
She added South West Water did not tell the agency until August 26, four days after the problem arose.
Tom Bradnock, for South West Water, blamed a "perfect storm" of problems which the company could not have expected. But he apologised on behalf of the company.
He said pumps had broken in June and July but had not been properly replaced because of an unprecedented delay in supplying highly specialised cable.
Mr Bradnock said further pumps were damaged by a huge surge of sewage after very heavy rain. The pumps emptying the storm drain were only operating at 25 per cent capacity.
He added the company had since demoted and given key staff at the plant early retirement and now keeps more spare equipment at the works.
Mr Bradnock said the low water quality could not entirely be attributed to sewage from the works and tests the very next day showed standards had improved.
He added there was no evidence of harm to fish, other wildlife or people and the pollution would have been greatly diluted in the estuary.
Comments
by Arfurmo
Sunday, August 05 2012, 9:00AM
“What a time for South West water to anounce 35 contamination leaks into the sea in Devon. Its almost as though broadcasting the fact earns them respect or excuses them.”
by hongkongfue
Thursday, June 21 2012, 10:15PM
“forget the water quality which you cant normally see any way. i would only allow my dog to swim near the hoe. dodging the litter, broken glass left by the kids and drunks on the steps, you then have the point of why swim on the hoe when we have so may better beaches nearby.
Did they close the Lido?? i believe this is sea water.”
by MissAnthrope
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 11:35PM
“Why were they never fined for the fish flavoured ice cream debacle?”
by JTPlymouth
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 8:47PM
“Am investigation into this mismanaged, thieving and very likely corrupt company and it's greedy executives is long overdue. This monopoly has been given license too long to help themselves to our hard-earned wages to make their executives and shareholders rich. I'm fed up to the back teeth with having to put up with being robbed by this patronizing company that is one of the very negative aspects to living in the westcountry. To think, those running this company and parasitising off the backs of ordinary people might actually be proud of themselves. They should be ashamed.”
by notamistake
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 5:10PM
“I wonder how much SWW pay the clouds for providing them with the water; to then treat the water full of chemicals - and provide it to us - on tap; using a system that has been there for years and paid for 100 times over.
last year the water companies in the uk alone made over £2Billion in profits - £1.5B went back to shareholders...the whole thing is a 'scam' - the clouds get nothing in return...and SWW don't even OWN the water...
Before it was privatized (run for profit - rather than for the people) our water was cleaner and was 75% of the cost it is now...
Facts speak alot of truth...”
by Bob_Wickerman
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 11:17AM
“SWW are proper drips”
by Tnothere
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 10:31AM
“I'm quite confused how some people commenting on this report is blaming a council. A council has nothing to do with SWW. The poeple that took the case against SWW was a central government agency not a council. The environment agency can do nothing except take formal enforcement action against SWW in court. Its the court that actually fines SWW and can force them to take relevant action. Its not any fault of the EA or any council that it will be the SWW customer that will pick up this bill. Please blame OFWAT and not the EA or any council.”
by itar5127
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 10:08AM
“The fine does come out of the customers pockets, and not the profits of the company. Any fine is gladly paid and recouped from every customer. For SWW its business as normal - how many weeks to thge next 'apology and fine' - the last one was in February (Camels Head) of this year!
What should have happened is the 'governmental' form of 'austerity' - freeze any increase for n years, limit increases to y% in a further 5 years after the freeze and impose more stringent and frequent reporting of incidents.”
by whinger7643
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 10:04AM
“Why should the user be made to pay for the incompetence of SWW, if we had made the mistake we would be made to pay. Take it out of the fatcats bonuses, and make sure the staff responsible are also brought in line.”
by Arfurmo
Tuesday, June 19 2012, 9:04AM
“Once again a council that has run away from protecting the public by the profit driven Water Authority. VasT profits and water charges at the expense of a healthy environment. Such paltry fines do nothing to curb the fippant everyday apologies we get. Oh! for a Council that takes the bull by the horns and gives South West water their marching orders.”