NI Water Fined For Polluting Drumaness River

“It is unfortunate that this has happened after all the great efforts by local anglers to re-stock the Drumaness River with fingerling trout. We need to ensure our rivers are protected in all ways possible.  Sewage and slurry can be extremely damaging to a river and can wipe out the life in it. Our environment is very sensitive and even small changes can affect the animals and plants adversely.” [caption id="attachment_21903" align="alignleft" width="195" caption="Councillor Anne McAleenan has expressed her concern about NI Water being fined £2300 for polluting the Drumaness River"][/caption] On 15th June 2009, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) inspected the river and observed that there was a plume of grey sewage in the river for approximately 100 metres and significant growth of sewage fungus on the bed of the waterway. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to the Magheratimpany Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) which is owned and operated by NIW. On 14th December 2009, a Water Quality Inspector, subsequently inspected a manhole at the rear of Drumaness Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) and observed a trail of sewage related debris between the manhole and the adjacent tributary of the Drumaness River. Whilst there was no discharge at that time, extensive sewage fungus was noted in the waterway below this point. On 12th and 13th January 2010, the Inspector revisited the WWTW and observed overflows of untreated sewage discharging to the adjacent waterway. The Inspector made a further visit to the WWTW on 14th January 2010 and observed that the discharge of untreated sewage was on-going. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a manhole on the sewerage system adjacent to Drumaness Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW) owned and operated by NIW. Samples taken on 15th June 2009 at Magheratimpany SPS and on 14th January 2010 adjacent to Drumaness WWTW confirmed that the discharges contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway. In relation to both incidents, NIW was charged under Article 7 (1) (a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 with the offence of making a polluting discharge to a waterway. NIW was fined £300 plus court costs of £25 for the offence on 15th June at Magheratimpany SPS and £2,000 for the plus court costs of £28 for the offences adjacent to Drumaness WWTW in December 2009 and January 2010.]]>