Southern Water has pleaded guilty to a series of pollution
incidents across north Kent, affecting the sea and inland
waters.
The Environment Agency charged the company with releasing
untreated sewage, sewage debris, diesel and waste matter at
various times between 2019 and 2021.
Some of the pollution incidents happened simultaneously at
different locations.
In July 2019, people reported seeing – and smelling – oil in
Swalecliffe Brook in Whitstable. Environment Agency staff were
sent to the scene, laying out absorbent booms to contain what
turned out to be diesel from Southern Water's local wastewater
treatment plant.
The diesel got into the brook and, in turn, the sea, when a
generator failed and began leaking. The public were warned to
keep themselves and their pets out of the water.
Dawn Theaker, the Environment Agency's water industry regulation
manager in the South East, said:
“All of these pollution incidents could have been avoided if
Southern Water had managed operations more carefully, and had in
place the necessary checks to deal with problems when they
occurred.
“It's a familiar pattern with water companies. Always catching up
with events.
“The Environment Agency will keep Southern Water in its sights
with more inspections, even tougher regulation and prosecution in
the most serious cases.”
Shortly before the start of the pandemic in 2020, Southern Water
polluted 2 inland waterways.
Across 3 days from 5 March, untreated sewage was released into
Faversham Creek from a separate wastewater station after pumps
stopped working.
On the same day, Swalecliffe Brook in Whitstable was hit again,
this time with sewage, like the diesel, carried into the sea.
Environment Agency officers again went out. They found sewage and
debris flowing under the main gates of the treatment plant in
Brook Road, over a grass verge and into the brook.
Then in October 2020, an almost identical incident. Sewage and
other matter travelled out of the main gate of the works, along
Brook Road, across the verge and into the brook.
Medway magistrates' court heard more pollution happened at
Southern Water plants in Whitstable, in August 2021, into the sea
directly, or via Swalecliffe Brook. The incidents occurred
only weeks after the company was fined a
record £90m for thousands of illegal sewage discharges off the
south coast.
More discharges directly into the sea in the weeks before the
long weekend station at either end of the
month.
In addition, the beleaguered Swalecliffe Brook had untreated
sewage pouring into it on 6 August. Investigators found around 70
dead fish, including eels.
The effluent flowed on to the sea like before, significantly
affecting water quality. Canterbury City Council put signs up
along beaches at Tankerton and Herne Bay, warning against
swimming for nearly a week afterwards.
Weeks after Southern Water was given a £90m fine in 2021 for
sewage pollution, dozens of fish died in another incident
The Environment Agency charged Southern Water with 5 offences,
all contrary to regulations 12(1)(b) and 38(1)(a) of the
Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016:
- caused a water discharge of sewage effluent into Faversham
Creek between 4 and 8 March 2020;
- caused or knowingly permitted a water discharge to coastal
waters, poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, namely diesel
fuel, on or before 31 July 2019;
- caused or knowingly permitted a water discharge to coastal
waters of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, and/or waste
matter and/or sewage waste, namely untreated sewage, between 5
March and 3 October 2020;
- caused or knowingly permitted a water discharge activity,
namely the discharge or entry to coastal waters of poisonous,
noxious or polluting matter, and/or waste matter and/or sewage
waste, namely untreated sewage, on 6 August 2021;
- caused or knowingly permitted water discharge activities,
namely the discharge to coastal waters of poisonous, noxious or
polluting matter, and/or waste matter and/or sewage waste, namely
untreated sewage, between 31 July and 23 August 2021.
Southern Water pleaded guilty at Medway magistrates' court on 7
April to all 5 charges. Sentencing will take place at the same
court on a date to be confirmed.
Since 2015, the Environment Agency has concluded more than 70
prosecutions against water and sewerage companies, securing fines
of over £153 million.
