15th Jul 2016 15:32
LONDON (Alliance News) - United Utilities Water Ltd, part of water company United Utilities Group PLC, has been fined GBP600,000 after pleading guilty to polluting a brook.
United Utilities' contractor KMI+ was also fined GBP333,000, according to the UK Environment Agency on Friday, which prosecuted the two companies on June 24 at Bolton Crown Court.
Both companies were also ordered to pay a total of GBP45,262 in costs.
United Utilities had contracted KMI+ to carry out improvement works at Wayoh water treatment works at Turton Bottoms in Bolton in 2013, during which the highly toxic chemical sodium hypochlorite ended up leaking into Bradshaw Brook, a trout spawning ground.
Sodium hypochlorite is used in the water purification process and is also the principle ingredient of household bleach. It is very corrosive and is highly toxic to aquatic organisms.
A 1.7 kilometre stretch of the brook was so badly polluted that virtually all aquatic organisms, including fish, shrimp and earthworms were killed. Up to 900 dead fish were recovered, but the number killed is likely to be much greater, said the Environment Agency.
"This was a serious and avoidable pollution incident caused by the negligence of both parties. It took several months for Bradshaw Brook to return to a healthy state and even then it was necessary to assist this process by restocking fish in the affected stretch. This case should bring home the message to all company directors and shareholders that environmental offences are taken seriously both by the regulators and the courts," Environment Manager Gordon Whitaker said in a statement.
Shares in United Utilities closed up 0.1% at 1,018 pence on Friday.
By Karolina Kaminska; [email protected] @KarolinaAllNews
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