On Tuesday 24 June 2014, Severn Trent Water pleaded guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court to one charge of pollution in Nottinghamshire.
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On 12 March 2012, Environment Agency officers attended an incident on the Potwell Dyke watercourse in Southwell, Nottinghamshire. The incident was reported by Severn Trent Water who said that water pollution had discharged into the watercourse from their combined sewer outfall.
Under the terms of their environmental permit consent, Severn Trent Water were permitted to discharge into the Potwell Dyke but only during storm conditions, when flows in the overflow exceed 15 litres per second. This is to protect the downstream properties from the risk of flooding during a storm. At the time of the pollution report weather conditions were dry.
On attendance officers went to the footpath just off Halloughton Road, where it was possible to see the outfall to the Potwell Dyke from Severn Trent Water’s combined sewer overflow. There was no flow from the outfall at that time, but officers observed debris around the outfall and solids on the bed of the watercourse. The water flowing down the Potwell Dyke from upstream of the outfall showed no visible signs of pollution. When officers looked at Potwell Dyke from the footbridge, downstream of Halloughton Road, the water appeared cloudy. The officers also saw dead fish in the watercourse immediately around the bridge.
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Read full press release on the GOV.UK web site…
