NI Water fined £3.5k for bloody smelly waste leak

The water company was convicted of causing harmful waste to enter the river after a ‘poisonous, noxious and polluting’ discharge leaked from the sewer last year.

The company was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay a total of £331 costs following the incident last March where ‘deleterious matter’ entered the river during a three and a half hour period.

Londonderry Magistrates Court heard last Thursday that the leakage, which is believed to have originated at a local factory, also contained blood.

A solicitor acting for the Loughs Agency said the level of ‘discharge’ was so high that the blockage had to be cleared from the Strathfoyle Pumping Station.

The discharge was described as ‘putrid smelling’ and ‘poisonous, noxious and polluting matter.’

It was also said to have the potential to have a negative effect on fish in the River Foyle.

NI Water’s solicitor said nothing of this nature had occurred before and that the blockage was cleared in ‘three and half to four hours’.

He told the court the company believed the incident occurred following ‘excessive amounts of discharge’ from a local factory.

The solicitor stressed that NI Water knew nothing of the blockage until it was reported to them. “Thankfully no fish were killed”, he said.

“NI Water takes this very seriously.”

District Judge Barney McElholm commented: “NI Water should put into place arrangements so if this happens again it can be dealt with more quickly”.