Severn Trent Water Limited fined ￡350,000 for polluting the River Amber

摘要

On 19 April 2018, at Derby Crown Court, sitting in Nottingham, Severn Trent Water Limited was fined ￡350,000, ordered to pay Environment Agency costs of ￡68,003, as well as a victim surcharge of ￡120. An estimated 30,000 dead fish and 5km of damaged ecology along the River Amber led to proceedings brought against Severn Trent Water Limited following a pollution incident. On 1 November 2015, the Environment Agency received reports of several hundred dead fish in the River Amber in Derbyshire and, following a search of the area, and discussions with Severn Trent Water employees, the source of the pollution was found to be a release of sodium hydroxide from the Ogston Water Treatment works, operated by Severn Trent Water, into the river. Severn Trent Water identified that a leak within a chamber at the Treatment works had led to the contents becoming contaminated with sodium hydroxide, which was then washed through the road gully into the River Amber via an outfall pipe.