Environment Agency:   South West Water has been fined £214,000 by Plymouth Crown Court for breaching environmental controls at the Camels Head sewage treatment works in Plymouth and failing to stop sewage pouring into the River Tamar. This is the highest fine handed out to South West Water for a case brought by the Environment Agency.

The treatment plant at Camels Head serves a population of over 40,000 people and discharges into the sensitive Tamar Estuary near the Devonport Naval Dockyard. The court heard that between March and September 2013, South West Water failed to operate and maintain the works in accordance with good operational practice and to treat effluent so as to minimise the risk of pollution.

It also heard that on 12 June 2013, a statutory sample taken breached the limits for Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations.The court took into consideration 3 further permit breaches in 2015 and previous convictions in 2012 and 2013 relating to this site.

South West Water admitted breaching the permit conditions.

Judge Lawrie told the court that South West Water were clearly ‘tiptoeing through a minefield of operational problems at this site and a pollution event beyond failure of minimum discharge standards was not only a risk but likely’ and added, ‘there was a complete failure to anticipate and take measures to counter some of the problems.’ To read more go to:

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/south-west-water-hit-with-214000-fine-after-polluting-river-tamar