NI Water guilty of pollution offence

Beleaguered water company Northern Ireland Water (NIW) has been found guilty of releasing polluting discharge into the Enler River.


The offences occurred between January and March in 2009.

Northern Ireland Environment Agency inspectors found extensive sewage fungus on the bed of a tributary of the Enler River.

The source of the polluting discharge was traced to Moneyreagh Wastewater Treatment Works.

The site was re-visited on several occasions and the inspector found that the storm tank was full and that untreated sewage was discharging from the outlet overflow weir. The overflow was occurring during dry weather.

A sample taken confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

NIW was fined £1000 for the pollution offence by Newtownards Magistrates’ Court.

Alison Brown

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