Pounds 5,000 for River Sewage

A fine of pounds 5,000 has been imposed on Dr Cymru Welsh Water after it admitted causing sewage to enter a river.

The company admitted two charges at Wrexham Magistrates’ Court after Environment Agency Wales officers were called to an incident in Caia Park, Wrexham, last year.

They discovered a storm sewage overflow was discharging under dry weather conditions and having an impact on the River Gwenfro.

Approximately two miles of the river was affected and there were significant amounts of sewage debris on the riverbed, affecting water quality and killing some 300 fish, mainly trout.

Dr Cymru Welsh Water deployed contractors to the scene and they discovered a blocked sewer, which was causing a combined sewage overflow to discharge into a surface water drain and then into the River Gwenfro.

Speaking after the company was fined pounds 5,000, environment officer Samuel Higgitt said, “This incident caused significant damage to local fish populations on the River Gwenfro and was a repeat of a similar incident in 2005.”

(c) 2007 Western Mail. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.