Southern Water fined for raw sewage pollution in Hampshire

River Action questions length of time taken to prosecute and “paltry” size of fine, as well as raising concerns about the risk of the “death of whole river systems”

Southern Water has been fined £330,000 following a 2019 incident where raw sewage flowed into a waterway near Southampton for up to 20 hours.

Almost 2,000 fish were killed as a pumping station sent untreated effluent into the environment at Waltham Chase on the edge of the South Downs because relay equipment at Little Bull pumping station had been programmed incorrectly.

Dawn Theaker, Environment Manager in Hampshire for the Environment Agency said: “Yet again, we have a water company failing to properly respond to alarms when things go wrong at facilities they operate, allowing sewage to flow uncontrolled into fields and a stream. The court agreed with our case that Southern Water was negligent.

“Any pollution is unacceptable, but this one happened close to a Site of Special Scientific Interest and other designations meant to provide greater protection for nature.”

Robbie Moore MP, Water Minister called it an example of “how polluters are being held to account” and said the fine would be paid into a Water Restoration Fund to support work to clean waterways.

He said: “We are delivering more investment, stronger regulation and tougher enforcement on water companies.”

Richard Manning, Southern Water General Counsel and Company Secretary, admitted that the environmental damage had been ‘unacceptable’.

He said: "Learning from this incident led to a comprehensive review of our more than 3,000 unmanned pumping stations to ensure those at highest risk were fit for purpose, leading to a rolling programme of improvements that has already cost more than £13m.

“We welcome the judge's comments that the company has made good progress since 2019. Five years on, we have a new leadership team and we are spending £3bn - the equivalent to £1,500 per household - between 2020 and 2025 to improve performance.”

"Last year, for a similar offence in 2017, Thames Water was fined £3.3million for killing 1,400 fish. There seems to be a considerable inconsistency in regulation.”

 James Wallace, CEO of River Action, said: “It would seem good news that the Environment Agency has decided to do its job and regulate.

"However, two questions need answering. Why has it taken nearly four years to prosecute an obvious case of sewage pollution? And why was the fine to a serial offender so paltry?

"Last year, for a similar offence in 2017, Thames Water was fined £3.3million for killing 1,400 fish. There seems to be a considerable inconsistency in regulation.

"Unless water companies face significant penalties that persuade them to invest in their sewerage infrastructure, the trend for belated slaps on the wrists will lead to the death of not only fish but whole river systems.” 

The Southern Water fine comes as a recent government report stated that only 14% of rivers in England have good ecological status and none have a good chemical status.

It said that agriculture, wastewater and ‘diffuse urban pollution’ are the main sources of pollution but that the failure of water companies to prevent sewage discharges has “attracted attention” and that “questions have been asked”.

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