Crumlin farmer fined at Lisburn Magistrates Court over water pollution offence
A Crumlin farmer has been fined £500 plus £15 Offenders Levy after pleading guilty to a water pollution offence.
Christopher Irvine (53), of Quarterland Road, was convicted today (Tuesday, September 16) at Lisburn Magistrates Court, under Article 7(1)(a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 as amended.
The court heard that on November 13, 2024, water quality inspectors from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) responded to a report of water pollution affecting the Crumlin River. Upon inspection, the riverbed was found to be heavily coated with grey-coloured sewage fungus.
The inspectors traced the pollution upstream for a distance of approximately 650 metres to farm premises on the Quarterland Road. They discovered a feeder stream entering the main waterway was polluted.
On the farm, the inspectors discovered a black corrugated pipe (adjacent to the slurry lagoons) was discharging effluent to the waterway. Upstream of Irvine’s farm, the waterway was visually clean.
As part of the investigation, inspectors collected a statutory sample for analysis. The sample results confirmed the presence of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which would have been potentially harmful to aquatic life in the receiving waterway.
Anyone wishing to report a water pollution incident can call the 24-hour NIEA Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.