British Marine is calling for the £20.3 million fine paid by Thames Water to be reinvested into the river Thames

24 March 2017

British Marine has said it welcomes the decision to fine Thames Water £20.3 million after the water company pumped nearly 1.5 billion litres of untreated sewage into the river Thames.

It is calling for the money to be reinvested in the waterway.

Thames Water admitted dumping 1.4 billion litres of sewage into the river Thames at a court hearing earlier this week.

It repeatedly dumped illegal discharges of untreated sewage into the river and its tributaries, resulting in major environmental damage.

Wildlife, such as birds, fish and invertebrates dies. It also impacted on residents and local farms.

The offences took place between 2013-2014 at sewage facilities at Aylesbury, Didcot, Henley and Little Marlow, and at the large sewage pumping station at Littlemore.

Commenting on the outcome, the chairman of British Marine Thames Valley, Mike Cook, said: “The significant fine for Thames Water is a just result. These spills have caused considerable environmental damage to a much used and much loved river and it is right that those that pollute the river are held accountable.”

“We would like to see this money being reinvested back into the River Thames, to enhance its quality and usage for everyone, and call upon HM Treasury to make an exception in this extraordinary case to benefit all Thames users,” he stressed.

“The River Thames is enjoyed by millions of people every day and offers many enjoyable recreational opportunities and services numerous businesses which rely upon this valuable asset,” continued Cook.

The chairman said that on behalf of British Marine and all Thames users, he would be writing to all MPs representing River Thames constituencies asking for the fine to be reinvested.

 

22 March 2017

Thames Water was fined the record amount today, 22 March 2017, after admitting dumping 1.4 billion litres of sewage into the river Thames.

The court heard how Thames Water Utilities Limited repeatedly dumped illegal discharges of untreated sewage into the River Thames and its tributaries, resulting in major environmental damage including visible sewage along 14 kilometres of the river which had a major impact on residents and local farms.

Wildlife was also seriously affected with the death of many birds, fish and invertebrates. 

The offences took place between 2013-2014 at sewage facilities at Aylesbury, Didcot, Henley and Little Marlow, and at the large sewage pumping station at Littlemore.

The Environment Agency which brought the prosecution, said it was the biggest freshwater pollution case in the agency’s 20 year history. It was also the largest with 1.4 billion litres of untreated sewage being dumped over a two year period.

Thames Water’s record fine may come as a shock, but the company had shown recidive behaviour.
In 2016, it was fined £1m for repeatedly discharging sewage into the Grand Union canal in Hertfordshire and £380,000 after a sewage leak in the Chilterns.

Judge Francis Sheridan, who delivered the sentence at Aylesbury Crown Court, said: “This is a shocking and disgraceful state of affairs. It should not be cheaper to offend than to take appropriate precautions. I have to make the fine sufficiently large that [Thames Water] get the message”.

He added that the accident was “entirely foreseeable and preventable” and that it was “a very dark period in the history of Thames Water” who demonstrated “scant regard for the law, with dreadful results for people who live in the area.”

He congratulated the Environment Agency for their “painstaking and thorough investigation” and added that he hopes the courts never see the like of such a case again.

When commenting on the level of the fines, His Honour Judge Sheridan, noted this was a record breaking fine for record breaking offending. He asked that the fines must be met by Thames Water, and not be passed onto customers, stating that it was the company, not the customers, who broke the law.

The Judge also added: “One has to get the message across to the shareholders that the environment is to be treasured and protected, and not poisoned.”

Sir James Bevan, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency, said: “Water and sewerage companies provide a vital service to the community. Where they experience problems through no fault of their own we will always work with them to resolve them but where negligence causes serious pollution, or a serious threat to the environment, we will seek the strongest possible penalties.

“This case sends a clear signal to the industry that safeguarding the environment is not an optional extra, it is an essential part of how all companies must now operate”.