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| Thames Water fined £3.3m over river sewage | Thames Water fined £3.3m over river sewage |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The incident killed more than 1,400 fish, the court heard | The incident killed more than 1,400 fish, the court heard |
| Thames Water has been fined £3.3m after it discharged millions of litres of undiluted sewage into two rivers, killing more than 1,400 fish. | Thames Water has been fined £3.3m after it discharged millions of litres of undiluted sewage into two rivers, killing more than 1,400 fish. |
| There was a "significant and lengthy" release of sewage from treatment works near Gatwick Airport in October 2017 into the Gatwick Stream in Sussex and River Mole in Surrey, a court heard. | There was a "significant and lengthy" release of sewage from treatment works near Gatwick Airport in October 2017 into the Gatwick Stream in Sussex and River Mole in Surrey, a court heard. |
| Thames Water admitted four charges in an Environment Agency prosecution. | Thames Water admitted four charges in an Environment Agency prosecution. |
| It was handed the fine during sentencing at Lewes Crown Court. | It was handed the fine during sentencing at Lewes Crown Court. |
| The company, which serves 15 million households, faces concerns over its future amid mounting debt. | The company, which serves 15 million households, faces concerns over its future amid mounting debt. |
| Judge Christine Laing KC said she believed Thames Water had shown a "deliberate attempt" to mislead the Environment Agency, by omitting water readings and submitting a report to the regulator denying responsibility. | Judge Christine Laing KC said she believed Thames Water had shown a "deliberate attempt" to mislead the Environment Agency, by omitting water readings and submitting a report to the regulator denying responsibility. |
| The court heard how a storm pump unexpectedly activated and was filling up the storm tank, despite no substantial rainfall, for 21 hours, which went unnoticed. | The court heard how a storm pump unexpectedly activated and was filling up the storm tank, despite no substantial rainfall, for 21 hours, which went unnoticed. |
| The pump then spilled sewage into the river for an estimated six hours but no alarm was in place to alert staff to the overspill, the court was told. | The pump then spilled sewage into the river for an estimated six hours but no alarm was in place to alert staff to the overspill, the court was told. |
| When an alarm was heard, the lead technician was uncontactable because they were awaiting a new mobile phone, the court was told. | When an alarm was heard, the lead technician was uncontactable because they were awaiting a new mobile phone, the court was told. |
| Thames Water pleaded guilty to four charges relating to polluting the rivers | Thames Water pleaded guilty to four charges relating to polluting the rivers |
| The judge said she found it "utterly extraordinary" that environmental disasters could occur because of issues such as this. | The judge said she found it "utterly extraordinary" that environmental disasters could occur because of issues such as this. |
| She said the company "should have put in every effort into tidying up the problem areas". | She said the company "should have put in every effort into tidying up the problem areas". |
| Thames Water has had 20 previous fines for pollution spillage. | Thames Water has had 20 previous fines for pollution spillage. |
| The company's chief executive, Sarah Bentley, after two years in the role, weeks after giving up her bonus over sewage spills. | The company's chief executive, Sarah Bentley, after two years in the role, weeks after giving up her bonus over sewage spills. |
| Why is sewage pumped into rivers and the sea? | Why is sewage pumped into rivers and the sea? |
| Thames Water fined £20m for sewage spill | Thames Water fined £20m for sewage spill |
| Thames Water boss quits after sewage spills | Thames Water boss quits after sewage spills |
| Outside court, Jamie Lloyd, Environment Agency senior officer, told the BBC: "Firstly, when the alarm at the sewage works went off, they didn't inform the Environment Agency. They told us actually several times that nothing had happened at the sewage works. | Outside court, Jamie Lloyd, Environment Agency senior officer, told the BBC: "Firstly, when the alarm at the sewage works went off, they didn't inform the Environment Agency. They told us actually several times that nothing had happened at the sewage works. |
| "When they did accept responsibility, they then submitted a formal challenge asking us to remove the incident from our records, so, yes, they seemed to try and mislead the investigations that we were undertaking." | "When they did accept responsibility, they then submitted a formal challenge asking us to remove the incident from our records, so, yes, they seemed to try and mislead the investigations that we were undertaking." |
| The Environment Agency said the firm allowed untreated sewage to pour into rivers outside storm conditions, which was illegal. | The Environment Agency said the firm allowed untreated sewage to pour into rivers outside storm conditions, which was illegal. |
| It said a stretch of river measuring nearly 5km, containing protected species such as European eel and brown trout, was in grave danger. | It said a stretch of river measuring nearly 5km, containing protected species such as European eel and brown trout, was in grave danger. |
| The agency said the storm lagoon was three-quarters of its legally-required size, meaning it filled with sewage earlier, discharged into rivers sooner, and gave less protection to fish. | The agency said the storm lagoon was three-quarters of its legally-required size, meaning it filled with sewage earlier, discharged into rivers sooner, and gave less protection to fish. |
| Mitigation measures were available but missed and logbooks showed staff rated equipment as "unsatisfactory", before and after the incident, the agency said. | Mitigation measures were available but missed and logbooks showed staff rated equipment as "unsatisfactory", before and after the incident, the agency said. |
| After sentencing, Richard Ayland, sustainability director for Thames Water, said: "This incident happened six years ago. That was then, this is now. | After sentencing, Richard Ayland, sustainability director for Thames Water, said: "This incident happened six years ago. That was then, this is now. |
| "We've had a new chief executive who came in and has spent three years devising a turnaround plan which is setting us on the road to a much more secure future for the company and the environment." | "We've had a new chief executive who came in and has spent three years devising a turnaround plan which is setting us on the road to a much more secure future for the company and the environment." |
| A spokesman for the Department for Environment said the fine would be paid into a treasury fund, but in the future water company environmental fines and penalties would be reinvested into the government's water restoration fund. | |
| The record fine against a water company for illegal discharge of sewage is held by Southern Water at £90m. | The record fine against a water company for illegal discharge of sewage is held by Southern Water at £90m. |
| That fine followed nearly 7,000 incidents across Hampshire, Kent and Sussex in a case brought by the Environment Agency in 2021. | That fine followed nearly 7,000 incidents across Hampshire, Kent and Sussex in a case brought by the Environment Agency in 2021. |
| Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC South East on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Sewage | Sewage |
| River Thames | River Thames |
| London | London |
| Gatwick Airport | Gatwick Airport |
| Environment | Environment |
| Thames Water | Thames Water |
| Environment Agency | Environment Agency |