Anglian Water Services Limited has been fined £300,000 after pleading guilty to charges related to a sewage pollution incident in Norfolk. The company was sentenced at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on 5 December 2024, and was also ordered to pay £21,896.56 in costs and a £171 victim surcharge.
The pollution occurred on 5 November 2018, when an untreated sewage discharge from an Anglian Water pumping station in Ormesby St Margaret, Norfolk, contaminated Spring Dyke. This waterway feeds into Ormesby Broad, a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a public water supply.
Investigations by the Environment Agency revealed high levels of ammonia in the water samples, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of fish. Many more fish were observed in distress, prompting the installation of aerators to prevent further damage to the ecosystem.
The court found that Anglian Water’s actions were negligent, and that the incident caused significant environmental harm. It took 11 days for the water quality in Spring Dyke to recover to safe levels.
District Judge Williams, who presided over the case, highlighted the severe consequences of the pollution, stating that “the effect on wildlife was deadly, with a significant number of fish having died, and a large number seen in a state of distress. There was some impact on local residents, and there was also a risk that this could have entered the public water supply.”
The sewage discharge was caused by a blockage of non-flushable items in the pumping station’s well. Despite being aware of ongoing issues with the station, which had experienced 10 previous sewage discharges since 2003, Anglian Water had failed to ensure the site held an emergency overflow permit.
The fine serves as a reminder of the need for water companies to uphold their environmental responsibilities and prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.
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