Tag: Environment Agency

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 29 August 2025.

Environment Agency is leading efforts to raise awareness of flash flooding in the Forest of Dean area.

• Local councils supporting Environment Agency in visiting communities
• Officers ‘door knocking’ in Lydney area to talk to residents on Tuesday 2 September
• Residents urged to learn how to prepare for flooding issues

Officers from the Environment Agency will be joined by colleagues from Forest of Dean District Council and Lydney Town Council on 2 September 2025 to share information about flood issues with local residents.

Some properties in Lydney are in rapid response catchments which means rivers are very responsive to heavy rainfall and can cause flash flooding even before flood warnings are issued.

Charlie Chandler, area flood risk manager for the environment in the West Midlands, said:

Flash flooding is dangerous and can happen very quickly.

The effects of flooding can be devastating and knowing what to do in a flood can significantly reduce the risk to life, property and possessions.

We are visiting Lydney to speak to residents about how to be prepared and what they can do to stay safe if they are impacted by flooding.

Councillor Adrian Birch, Leader of Forest of Dean District Council, said:

We’re committed to supporting our at-risk communities that could be affected by rapid response catchment flooding in our district.

That’s why we are working with the Environment Agency again this year to ensure that people in these areas know how to prepare for flooding, and if it does occur, what to do and who to contact about different issues.

I would also like to remind our residents that those looking for more information can find it on the Forest of Dean District Council’s dedicated webpage, which outlines the responsibilities of the various agencies and the support for those affected.

Councillor Jackie Fraser, Cabinet Member for Environment at Forest of Dean District Council, said:

The door-knocking events with the Environment Agency will be a great opportunity for affected residents to learn more about the help that is available to them.

I’m so pleased that we are able to work with them once again to provide this service to areas in the Forest of Dean that are most at risk.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 20 August 2025.

Oliver ‘Luke’ Kirkbride given suspended prison sentence for the illegal operation of waste sites that led to a major fire.

In a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency, Oliver ‘Luke’ Kirkbride, of Stanley View, Mirehouse, Whitehaven, pleaded guilty to multiple offences relating to the illegal operation of waste sites on the Lune Industrial Estate in Lancaster.

On 15 August, Kirkbride appeared at Preston Crown Court and was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and 200 hours unpaid work. He was also banned from being a company director for 5 years.

Major fire caused by combustible waste

An investigation by the Environment Agency revealed that thousands of tonnes of combustible waste was stored in breach of permit conditions, with operations continuing even after a suspension notice was issued.

The abandoned waste led to a major fire in December 2023, which caused significant disruption to neighbouring businesses and left firefighting and clean-up costs of over £2 million.

Large quantities of combustible waste were stored far in excess of the 500-tonne, seven-day limit set in the site’s environmental permit.

Defendant ignores order to stop taking waste

In February 2022, the Environment Agency suspended the site’s permit because of the significant fire risk, but waste imports continued until April 2022, and then under a second company until October 2022.

The site’s permit was revoked by the Environment Agency in November 2022.

Between September 2021 and October 2022, Kirkbride, as a company director, was found to have deliberately breached environmental permit limits, operated unpermitted waste sites, repeatedly failed to comply with enforcement notices and deposited waste without the necessary authorisations.

Further offences involve waste storage breaches at Unit C4 and the illegal use of Unit C3, which had no permit in place.

‘Waste criminals cause distress and destruction’

An Environment Agency spokesperson said:

Illegal waste activity and breaches of Environmental permits puts communities, businesses, and the environment at serious risk.

The defendant repeatedly and deliberately ignored environmental law and defied enforcement action by continuing to breach the law with no consideration for the environment or the community of Lancaster.

His actions led to a major fire that ultimately caused weeks of harm and disruption to local residents and businesses. The costs of which to resolve and clear were borne by emergency services and multi-agency partners including Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service and Lancaster City Council.

Waste criminals cause distress to our communities and can destroy the environment. This case demonstrates that we will continue to pursue and take robust action against anyone operating outside the law.

Background

• Kirkbride pleaded guilty to four counts of Offence of depositing controlled waste without an environmental permit, contrary to Section 33(1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Unit 37, Lune Industrial Estate.
• Kirkbride pleaded guilty to three counts of Offence of breaching conditions under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 relating to the operation of waste sites at Units C3 and C4, Lune Industrial Estate.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 14 August 2025.

Pair dumped waste close to river, farmland and houses.

A local man and one who came over the border from Cambridgeshire and dumped commercial waste on land near King’s Lynn and caught by CCTV and a drone camera have been punished by the courts.

Phillip Moore, who ran a landscaping business only a few miles from the site in Clenchwarton, has been fined £600 by magistrates. Fred Harris, a roofer from near Cambridge, was given 100 hours of unpaid work to complete.

Both men were ordered to pay substantial costs.

Clockcase Lane includes 15 hectares of land close to the Great River Ouse. Farmland and residential housing are also nearby.

Moore was the first to offend. A covert drone camera was already trained on the site in 2022 as the Environment Agency investigated other reports of waste crime.

Gardener visited illegal waste site twice

In the September, despite the site being out of bounds through a court order, Moore made the first of 2 visits. A white and grey tipper truck was driven onto the muddy area, with Moore at the wheel. Moore’s Groundworks and Landscaping was clearly written on the side.

The surveillance camera recorded wooden pallets unloaded from the back of the van and dumped. The vehicle then left.

Some six weeks later, in late October, the same truck returned. Someone got out of the passenger side and unloaded garden waste from the back and put it down on the land.

The vehicle was then driven to another area and a wooden pallet was dumped on top of others. The van then left.

When questioned by the Environment Agency, Moore, of West Winch, claimed he thought Clockcase Lane was a legitimate site on which to discard waste, paying a third party £10 for each visit.

Moore was also told by King’s Lynn magistrates’ court on 13 August to pay £2,000 in costs, and a victim surcharge of £240.

Phil Henderson, environment management team leader for East Anglia at the Environment Agency, said:

“Moore and Harris should have known better as local businessmen producing a lot of waste through their work. Both men were negligent in not checking the legality of Clockcase Lane as a waste site.

“Waste crime blights communities. It harms the environment, having a devastating effect on rivers and wildlife. We continue to investigate Clockcase Lane.”

A few months after Moore’s illegal visits, Fred Harris also dumped waste there and, like Moore, had no authority to do so.

In March 2023, CCTV footage from a nearby property caught Harris, of Swavesey, near Cambridge, arrive in a white van pulling a trailer. Armour Roofing and Construction Ltd, which Harris operated, was on the side.

Van dumping waste got stuck in the mud

The film later showed household waste being removed from it and left on a muddy track. The van got stuck in the mud, and Harris was seen unhooking the trailer. He eventually drove off.

Like Moore before him, Harris believed Clockcase Lane to be a permitted waste site. He told the Environment Agency he paid a third party £100 to gain access to the land.

Harris, 46, of Rose and Crown Road, Swavesey, was sentenced to 100 hours of unpaid work. King’s Lynn magistrates’ court also ordered him to pay £1,000 in costs and another £114 as a victim surcharge.

Philip Moore, 32, of Long Lane, West Winch, pleaded guilty to twice breaching section 33(1)(a) (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, in that he dumped waste on land at Clockcase Road, Clenchwarton, on 8 September and 21 October 2022 without the necessary Environment Agency permit.

Harris admitted breaching the charge of dumping waste illegally on Clockcase Lane on 2 March 2023, contrary to section 33(1)(a) and (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, as amended.

Rebecca Simper, of Saddlebow Road, Saddlebow, in Norfolk, will appear before King’s Lynn magistrates next May relating to other waste allegedly dumped at Clockcase Lane in April 2023 and January 2024, and failing to provide information to the Environment Agency in the course of its investigation. She denies all the charges.

The Environment Agency continues to investigate alleged waste crime at Clockcase Lane.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 13 August 2025.

A transport company will pay a total of £167,587.13 for delivering controlled waste to an illegal site at Fen Lane, Long Bennington, Lincolnshire.

• Latest hearing following major investigation by Environment Agency into site at Fen Lane, Long Bennington
• Court told company was responsible for delivering over 1400 tonnes of controlled waste
• Sentencing hearing at Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 8 August 2025

The sentence imposed on Fletcher Plant Limited of Clement Street, Sheffield, is the latest result from a major investigation by the Environment Agency.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Friday 8 August 2025, the company was fined £80,000, ordered to pay costs of £50,000 and a confiscation order of £37,587.13.

The company had previously been found guilty in June 2024 after a trial of failing to comply with duty of care regulations for controlled waste between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.

Named Operation Lord, the investigation saw Environment Agency officers spend months building evidence of the illegal waste site.

The findings led to 12 people and 1 company, Fletcher Plant, being charged, of which 10 pleaded guilty.

Following an 8 week trial which concluded on 28 June 2024, the remaining 3 defendants were found guilty.

So far, 11 people have been sentenced to a total of 14 years’ imprisonment for their involvement in this illegal operation.

The court was told that intelligence gathered, revealed lorry-loads of shredded waste were regularly being accepted onto the site the size of a football pitch.

It was calculated that Fletcher Plant, over a period of 6 months, organised the transport of over 1400 tonnes of controlled waste.

The judge accepted that the company did not know the site was operating illegally, but its officers had a legal requirement to carry out a duty of care.

The company said it had built a good reputation and it was the first time it had been prosecuted in over 40 years. A new management team had also been put in place.

Peter Stark, Enforcement Team Leader for the Environment Agency in Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said:

This sentence shows that all businesses involved in the removal of controlled waste must make all reasonable checks to ensure that waste is being dealt with appropriately and not illegally.

If simple and continued due diligence checks had been made by Fletcher Plant they would have flagged up that the site operators did not have the appropriate authorisations.

Due diligence checks are not something that should only occur prior to starting a contract, they should occur regularly during a contract.

The duty of care in relation to waste is a legal requirement under Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity should report it to our 24-hour hotline on 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Particulars of Offence

FLETCHER PLANT LIMITED, a body corporate, between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, acting as a waste broker, had control of controlled waste and failed to take all such measures applicable to it as are reasonable in the circumstances to prevent a contravention by any other person of Regulation 12 of the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2016, contrary to section 34 (1) (a) (a) and 34 (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 18 July 2025.

Serious pollution incidents up 60% in 2024 from previous year.

• Three water companies responsible for 81% of serious incidents
• Environment Agency now has greater powers and more funding than ever to hold poor performers to account

The number of water company pollution incidents across England rose sharply last year, a new report from the Environment Agency has found. The report shows consistently poor performance from all nine water and sewerage companies in the region, with serious pollution incidents in 2024 up 60% from 2023.

The Environment Agency (EA) assesses all pollution incidents, with category 1 (major) and category 2 (significant) incidents being the most serious. In 2024, 75 category 1 and 2 incidents were recorded, a steep rise from 47 serious incidents the previous year. 81% of these serious incidents were the responsibility of just three water companies – Thames Water (33 incidents), Southern Water (15 incidents) and Yorkshire Water (13 incidents). All pollution incidents (category 1 to 3) have increased by 29%: last year water companies recorded 2,801 incidents, up from 2,174 in 2023.

The EA is particularly concerned about the increasing trend in pollution spills from pipes carrying wastewater uphill – these accounted for 20% of the serious incidents in 2024 and impacted some protected waters for wildlife and swimming.

Reasons behind the 2024 results include persistent underinvestment in new infrastructure, poor asset maintenance, and reduced resilience due to the impacts of climate change.

Last financial year, the EA carried out over 4,000 inspections of water company assets. With more inspections, the EA discovers more non-compliance: last year 24% of sites breached their permits. The EA is clear that none of these factors, including wet weather, can excuse the unacceptable number of incidents last year, and water companies must meet their legal obligations to the environment and communities or face enforcement action.

Alan Lovell, Chair of the Environment Agency said:

This report demonstrates continued systemic failure by some companies to meet their environmental targets.

The water industry must act urgently to prevent pollution from occurring and to respond rapidly when it does.

We have made significant changes to tighten our regulation of the water industry and ensure companies are held to account. With a dedicated larger workforce and increased funding, our officers are uncovering and acting on failures to comply with environmental law.

The EA’s expectations for water companies are set out in the Water Industry Strategic Environmental Requirements (WISER) guide, which states there should be a trend to zero serious pollution incidents by 2025, a reduction in all pollution incidents and high levels of water company self-reporting. It is evident that some companies are failing to meet these targets.

Under the Water (Special Measures) Act, the EA will have greater powers to take swift action against polluting companies, allowing them to close the justice gap and ultimately deter illegal activity from happening in the first place. To boost funding for water regulation, the EA is consulting on a new levy on the water sector to recover the cost of enforcement activities.

It comes as last week, Defra confirmed an £189m uplift for the EA’s water regulation, coming from charges paid by the sector rather than the public purse. This represents a 64% increase in funding since 2023/2024.

So far, the EA is on track to deliver 10,000 inspections of water company assets next year and we will continue to work closely with government and fellow regulators to hold companies to account so they deliver the environmental improvements for communities and wildlife.

The Act also requires companies to produce annual Pollution Incident Reduction Plans to address the root cause of persistent problems and prevent pollution incidents.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 16 July 2025.

The Environment Agency has granted an environmental permit for Viridor Tees Valley Ltd to operate an energy from waste facility in Teesside.

This follows a public consultation on the Agency’s ‘minded to’ decision, which took place during May.

The decision is based on Viridor demonstrating that it has met and will continue to meet expected mandatory conditions as outlined in the permit.

The operator wants to run the proposed Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF) at Grangetown, Redcar.

The Environment Agency only issues permits if it’s satisfied the operator can comply with the permit conditions and has appropriate systems in place to operate the incinerator without causing harm to the environment, human health or wildlife.

The proposed site also has planning permission.

Permit will ensure ‘environmental protections are met’

Ian Preston, Installations Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:

I want to reassure people that the permit will ensure that robust levels of environmental protection are met.

Environmental law sets out these conditions, and as a regulator we are obliged to issue the permit if we can find no reason that the operator would not be able to comply.

There is a decision document which explains in more detail how the Environment Agency reached this decision.

It also outlines the concerns raised during the consultation and how the Environment Agency has addressed these.

View the decision document and permit.

For more information on the facility visit Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility.

Background:

Environmental Permits

• Environmental permits set out strict legal conditions by which an operator must comply in order to protect people and the environment. Should an environmental permit be issued, the Environment Agency has responsibility for enforcing its conditions.
• Our powers include enforcement notices, suspension and revocation of permits, fines and ultimately criminal sanctions, including prosecution.
• We may only refuse a permit if it does not meet one or more of the legal requirements under environmental legislation, including if it will have a significant impact on the environment or harm human health. If all the requirements are met, we are legally required to issue a permit.

Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF)

• Viridor must comply with the environmental permit if it begins operating and Environment Agency staff will regulate the site to ensure it does.
• The site also has planning permission.
• The project partners for the proposed site have been engaged in a tender process to find an experienced operator to design, build, finance and operate the Tees Valley Energy Recovery Facility (TVERF).
• The outcome of this procurement process is due to conclude this year.
• This will be followed by construction, testing and commissioning, which is anticipated to take approximately four years. The facility is therefore expected to commence commercial operations in late 2029.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 15 July 2025.

Work is underway to replace an outdated eel pass at Newby Bridge Weir to encourage better migration for the critically endangered European eel.

Activity is underway to replace an eel pass in Cumbria as part of work by the Environment Agency to improve river ecosystems and support the safe migration of the European eel.

The European eel has suffered a dramatic decline in recent decades due to habitat loss, overfishing and barriers such as weirs that disrupt its long migration routes.

Action is now being taken to improve eel passage in the River Leven by replacing the existing fish pass at Newby Bridge. It is outdated and no longer meets modern standards for safety, remote monitoring, or effective water management.

Formal notice has now been given for its removal, with a new, improved eel pass required to be fully installed and operational by March 2026. Construction began on 14th July 2025 and will continue for approximately seven weeks

The project will introduce a hybrid eel pass system, designed to enhance eel migration and biodiversity while minimising any environmental impact.

At the heart of the improvements is an intelligent float switch-controlled pump. This system activates during low water flows to assist eel movement, ensuring their continued migration even in challenging conditions.

When water levels rise, the float switch automatically deactivates the pump which will allow migrating eels to use the natural river flow. This is especially important to help promote effective movement to their local habitats .

This adaptive pumping approach not only supports the local eel population but also reduces energy consumption, contributing to a more sustainable water management solution.

Improvements for maintenance, reliability and resilience

Once completed, the pass will also feature pebble resin strips, a specialised material that aids eel movement while limiting the build-up of debris.

During periods of high flow, the design allows for natural self-cleaning, reducing the need for manual maintenance and helping to maintain higher water quality standards by minimising blockages and stagnation.

To further improve efficiency, the system has been designed for easy visual inspection from the riverbank and will include remote monitoring capabilities, strengthening overall maintenance, reliability, and long-term resilience.

Francis Frimpong, Environment Agency project manager, said:

Replacing the eel pass at Newby Bridge is part of our ongoing commitment to protecting endangered European eels and improving river ecology across the region.

Over recent years, significant improvements in water quality—thanks to targeted investment, regulatory action, and partnership work—have helped support the recovery of native species across Cumbria.

This new eel pass is another step forward in improving river connectivity and enhancing biodiversity. By enabling eels to navigate past man-made barriers, we’re helping to restore their natural migratory routes and strengthen their numbers for the future.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 15 July 2025.

Following the driest spring in 132 years, Environment Agency steps up operational response.

The Environment Agency has declared drought status for the West Midlands and East Midlands following the driest spring in 132 years.

The Environment Agency announced the change in status today, 15th July 2025. Following declining river flows and groundwater levels with some river flows in the regions at their lowest for June since 1976.

The decision sees the regulator stepping up its operational response in the West Midlands and the East Midlands. While making sure water companies deliver the actions agreed in their drought plans.

The announcement comes as the National Drought Group meets to discuss next steps, with people being asked to play their part and use water wisely.

West Midlands and East Midlands follow other regions that have moved into drought recently, including the north-west of England and Yorkshire.

Matt Gable, Regional Incident Lead at the Environment Agency, said:

Against a backdrop of a changing climate, this change of status recognises the impact prolonged dry weather is having on water resources and the environment.

In the Midlands, we are taking action to reduce that impact and to oversee the actions water companies need to take to secure public water supplies.

We are also encouraging people to play their part through the rest of the summer period by noting the small steps we can all take to save water.

In the Midlands, river levels are already low with some river flows in the region at their lowest for June since 1976. The River Severn catchment received only two-thirds of the rainfall it normally does in June, while the Trent catchment fared worse, with only 37% of its long-term average for June.

Teams are out on the ground actively monitoring river levels, with staff working with the water sector to ensure there is enough water for the people and the environment.  Staff are also supporting farmers and abstractors with advice on how to manage abstraction during prolonged dry weather and low flows.  Fisheries teams are responding where necessary to protect fish which are struggling due to reduced oxygen or moving them if the river has dried up.

The Environment Agency expects and will ensure that water companies follow their drought management plans. Water companies need to step up their work to fix leaks and adjust their operations to conserve water.

The public is being asked to think about how they use water at home and in the garden, and to comply with any local restrictions. The less water you use at the home, the more water there is in your local environment.  Recreational water users are being asked to remain vigilant and report any environmental issues they see, such as fish in distress, acting as important eyes and ears on the ground.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 3 June 2025.

A new Environment Agency research project has seen 22,914 rare and protected glass eels swap the River Severn for a new home in the Berkshire this month.

The eels were transferred in late April to nine locations on the Kennet chalk stream by Environment Agency fisheries specialists, initiating a research project that will monitor their development.

Peter Gray, Environment Agency fisheries team leader, said:

We are working hard to address the many struggles that eels face and are taking action to safeguard this critically endangered species.

Over the coming months and years, we will closely monitor the released eels to see how they are surviving and growing. Eventually we want to discover whether this type of management produces more eels going out to sea to breed.

Eels are born in the Sargasso Sea in the North Atlantic Ocean. From there, they float in their larval form on ocean currents towards Europe – journeying more than 3,000 miles for up to 2 years. Once they reach the coast, they turn into transparent glass eels up to 8cm long and then elvers, up to 12cm in length, swimming upstream into rivers. Here they live for around 6-10 years as juveniles/sub-adult yellow eels, before swimming downstream and eventually returning to the Sargasso Sea as mature adults to breed -silver eels.

In the 1980s, populations of the once-common eel started to decline all around Europe; the reasons for this are unclear but may be due to over-fishing, habitat loss and fragmentation, parasites or climate change. The numbers of new, young eels arriving at our shores are now a tiny percentage of those that arrived in the 1960s and 1970s.

Through the Environment Agency’s fisheries management programs, fish stocks are increasing to provide even more opportunities for South East anglers. Without the income from rod licences this vital work would not be possible.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A one-day licence costs from just £7.10, and an annual licence currently costs from just £35.80. Concessions available. Junior licences are free for 13 – 16-year-olds.

Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all-year-round and is supported by partners, including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.

The close season for coarse fishing came into effect on 15 March and runs until 15 June inclusive to prevent fishing for coarse fish in rivers and streams across England, helping to protect fish when they are spawning and supporting vulnerable stocks.

Throughout the close season, Environment Agency officers conduct patrols to ensure anglers respect the no fishing period. Notices have been displayed in key fishing areas across the South East reminding anglers of the law.

Anyone with information about suspected illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 30 May 2025.

Yorkshire Water has been fined £350,000 after one of its sewage pumping stations polluted a York watercourse.

Following an investigation by the Environment Agency, the company appeared at York Magistrates’ Court on Friday 30 May for sentencing for two offences – one of illegally polluting Foss Dyke with sewage and another in relation to failing to maintain a pump at the pumping station.

It had previously pleaded guilty to the two offences in November 2024.

The court heard that Yorkshire Water was aware Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station’s backup pump had not been working for five months.

It had failed to repair it, despite the issue having been noted repeatedly during regular maintenance checks. It should have been fixed within 24 hours.

Yorkshire Water ‘failed to take action’

Martin Christmas, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency in Yorkshire, said:

Water companies have a responsibility to ensure their assets are maintained and in working order to protect the environment.

Yorkshire Water failed to take action despite being aware of the risks posed by one of its pumps being out of action, which led to a sewage spill.

We expect full compliance and are committed to taking robust enforcement action where we see serious breaches.

Alongside increased inspections at sewage treatment works, additional enforcement tools and better reporting we’re determined to hold water companies to account.

Sewage pumping stations pump sewage through the system to sewage treatment works. It is illegal, unless authorised by an environmental permit, to discharge pollution into watercourses.

Under the environmental permit for Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station, such a discharge is only allowed in an emergency, such as an electrical or mechanical failure or a blockage, which, if it occurs, must be remedied without delay.

Fossbridge pumping station has a main pump and a backup pump. There is an emergency overflow pipe which discharges sewage into the River Foss if the station fails, to avoid nearby homes connected to the system from being inundated.

Sensors enable Yorkshire Water to monitor the station’s performance including power, pump condition, levels and the operation of the emergency overflow.

Backup pump was blocked

On 5 October 2017, Yorkshire Water noted the inlet pipe feeding the backup pump was blocked and effluent couldn’t reach it, meaning the pump could not operate.

Although a job was raised to fix this blockage, and it was noted it needed repairs during several subsequent regular maintenance visits, it wasn’t carried out.

Comments from Yorkshire Water during interview said the repair of the backup pump was to be done by an external contractor but had ‘got lost in the ether’.

On 12 March, 2018, the sewage pumping station filled to the point where telemetry alarms sounded indicating a discharge of sewage into Foss Dyke. The alarms were noted at Yorkshire Water’s control centre and attributed to high rainfall.

High rainfall was not a valid reason as the sewage pumping station was only allowed to discharge in an emergency as set out in its environmental permit and not, as with some water company assets like combined sewer overflows, in ‘storm conditions’.

Yorkshire Water did not attend the pumping station, despite the data indicating a sewage spill.

Report of discharge of sewage

Two days later on 14 March, Yorkshire Water received a report from the public about a discharge of sewage from Fossbridge pumping station.

It was found the main pump was running but on ‘low amps’ – which indicates a potential air lock – and the backup pump was still not repaired. Yorkshire Water had no functioning pumps at the pumping station.

The company stopped the discharge and arranged for tankers to transport the sewage away from the pumping station while it was repaired. Reports suggest the pumping station had been discharging intermittently into the watercourse on 12 March, 2018.

Over the following days, two further discharges took place at the pumping station, one because only one tanker was being used to transport sewage from the pumping station and it had not been able to keep up with the flow, and another after the main pump blocked again.

Water samples showed high ammonia levels in the watercourse.

The backup pump was subsequently repaired following the incident.

Yorkshire Water was also ordered to pay costs of £14,028.65 and a victim surcharge of £170.

Background

Full charges

• Yorkshire Water Services Limited between 11 and 19 March 2018, caused a water discharge activity, namely the discharge of sewage into the Foss Dyke near York which was not authorised by an environmental permit.

Contrary to Regulation 38(1)(a) and Regulation 12(1)(b) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.

• Yorkshire Water Services Limited between 1 October 2017 and 19 March 2018 at Fossbridge Sewage Pumping Station, York, failed to comply with condition 1.6.2 of Environmental Permit number 27/24/0440, in that the company failed to maintain the standby pump in working order.

Contrary to regulation 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.