A Fine for Polluting with Corrosive Bleach

The Environment Agency announced that United Utilities Water and its contractor KMI + have been fined almost £1m

The case involved improvement works at Wayoh water treatment works at Turton Bottoms near Bolton. Up to 300 litres of a solution of sodium hypochlorite – a principle ingredient of household bleach which is highly corrosive and toxic to aquatic organisms – was diluted overnight using a hosepipe, allowing it to overflow into a bunded area, despite no risk assessment having been undertaken.

Failure by either company to properly survey the drainage meant neither was aware of the existence of faults in the drainage system, which led to the diluted toxic chemical entering the surface water drainage system and being discharged to Bradshaw Brook, a nearby trout- spawning ground, the Environment Agency said.

The watchdog was first alerted to the impact of the pollution after a member of the public found dead fish floating in the water. The brook was severely affected, with one 1.7km stretch so badly polluted that virtually all aquatic organisms, including fish, shrimp and earthworms, were killed.

The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Timothy Clayson, said the incident had arisen through senior management failings to ensure proper systems and procedures were in place.

United Utilities Water Limited (UU) was fined £600,000 and KMI + was fined £333,000 at Bolton Crown Court on 24 June after pleading guilty to the charges. Both firms were also ordered to pay more than £45,000 in costs following a successful prosecution by the Environment Agency.

"This was a serious and avoidable pollution incident caused by the negligence of both parties," said Gordon Whitaker, environment manager of the Environment Agency, in a statement. "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."

A spokeswoman for United Utilities said in a statement that the company fully accepts the court's decision in light of the "regrettable environmental impact" caused by the incident. "We take our environmental responsibility very seriously and have since reviewed our process and procedures to minimise the risk of an incident like this happening in the future," she said.

Source: businessGreen

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Taxonomy

• Water
• Environment
• Pollution
• Water Supply
• Water Utility