Castlerock farmer convicted after pollution detected in Articlave river
A Castlerock farmer has been convicted for a water pollution offence.
David Conn (47), Ardina Road, Castlerock, was convicted at Coleraine Magistrates Court on Friday, February 7, under Article 7(1)(a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 as amended.
Mr Conn pleaded guilty and was fined £500 plus £15 Offenders Levy.
The Court heard that on June 7, 2023, NIEA Water Quality Inspectors examined the Articlave River where they discovered the bed of the waterway was covered in grey fungus.
The source of pollution was traced upstream to the rear of farm buildings. At that location, a flow of agricultural material, with the appearance of silage effluent, was observed to be actively discharging to the Articlave River via an open field drain and a stone drain.
As part of the investigation, a statutory sample of the discharge was collected and analysed. The sample results indicated that the sample contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to aquatic life in a receiving waterway.