05/02/2013

NI Water Fined For Pollution Offences

Northern Ireland Water (NIW) has been fined £2,500 for pollution offences at Downpatrick Magistrates Court.

The company was ordered to pay the fine, plus court costs, after pleading guilty to making a polluting discharge to a waterway from Burren Sewage Pumping Station (SPS) in Newcastle, County Down.

The charges followed an inspection by a Water Quality Inspector of the Burren River, adjacent to the Burren SPS, Marguerite Avenue, Newcastle, on 24 May.

The inspector observed the waterway was running cloudy and noticed sewage related debris.

It was subsequently determined that untreated sewage had been discharging from the SPS for a period of some 31 hours.

The pollution resulted in a major fish-kill downstream of the SPS, in the Burren and Shimna Rivers.

The areas affected are fishery and nursery habitats for salmon and sea trout, while both rivers flow through public park areas in central Newcastle.

Approximately 400 metres downstream of its confluence with the Burren River, the Shimna River discharges onto Newcastle beach.

The discharge was found to contain poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.

Meanwhile, a 58-year-old man has been sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, after pleading guilty to a range of waste offences.

Sean McStravick, of Colinglen Road, Belfast , is a director of Colinglen Contractors Limited.

His charges related to the unauthorised storage and treatment of household and commercial waste at a Unit in Kilwee industrial Estate, Belfast, between March and September 2009 and at Colinglen Road, Belfast between December 2010 and September 2011.

(IT)

Related Northern Ireland News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

15 November 2011
NI Water Fined For Pollution Offence
Northern Ireland Water (NIW) was fined a total of £1,250 plus court costs of £25 for making a polluting discharge to a waterway and for contravening the DOE's consent conditions.
03 February 2006
Belfast City flights cancelled due to fog
A number of flights due to arrive at Belfast City Airport have had to be cancelled due to poor weather conditions of Friday. The flights, which are unable to land in the city, have had to be cancelled because of heavy fog in the area.
20 November 2015
Farmer Fined For Polluting L'Derry Waterway
A Co Londonderry farmer has been fined £1,500 after pleading guilty to making a polluting discharge to a waterway. Paul O’Kane, Gortnagross Road, Dungiven, was fined at Limavady Magistrates' Court.
04 May 2011
NI Water Fined Over Water Pollution - Again
The official Government body that has responsibility for water supplies, Northern Ireland Water Ltd (NIW), has been fined £2,000 plus court costs of £49 at Antrim Magistrates' Court this week for making a polluting discharge to a waterway and breach of consent.
11 May 2009
Polluter 'Fined' Over Waterway Discharge
Anglers and conservationists angry over repeated 'fish kills' on a river that flows into Lough Neagh are now seeing further action taken against those responsible.