NI Water fined for pollution incident

NIW pleaded guilty and was fined £1,000 plus £15 Offenders Levy for breaching the conditions of a discharge consent relating to the operation of Hydepark No.2 Waste Water Pumping Station (WWPS) located on Blackwater Road, Mallusk.

On Monday, August 24 2015, a Water Quality Inspector (WQI), acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, responded to a report of pollution in the Mallusk area affecting the Ballymartin Water.

On August 25 2015, inspectors returned to Mallusk Park Industrial Estate to continue the investigation.

In a statement made under caution, NIW stated: “A discharge occurred as a result of a failure of the second of two pumps at Hydepark No.2 WWPS on August 23 2015.”

NIEA’s investigation determined that a second standby pump, the provision of which is a condition of the Department’s Consent to Discharge, had not been available at the pumping station for a number of weeks prior to the incident.

If available, the second standby pump would have come into operation following the failure of the duty pump thereby preventing discharge from the station.

This situation contravened the conditions of a Water (NI) Order 1999 Consent to Discharge issued by the Department in respect of the installation.

Anyone wishing to report a pollution incident can call the Water Pollution Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.