Northern Ireland Water Limited (NIW) have pleaded guilty to two charges of making polluting discharges and have been fined a total of £8,000 plus court costs of £31, at Newtownards Magiatrates' Court.
On 10 March 2011, a Water Quality Inspector from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) observed extensive sewage fungus on the bed of a stream adjacent to the Moneyreagh Wastewater Treatment Works, in County Down. The investigation revealed that the storm tank at the site was full with settled sewage discharging from the outlet overflow weir into the stream.
On 26 March 2011, an inspector again observed extensive sewage fungus on the bed of the stream adjacent to the works. Settled sewage was still discharging from the storm tank into the same waterway.
NIW were fined under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order SI 1999/662 for breaching the conditions of their discharge consent and making a polluting discharge.
