NI Water fined

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NI Water fined for polluting river in Cloughey NI Water was fined £1200 at Ards magistrate's court for discharging polluting matter from Cloughey South pumping station into the adjacent river on 27th September 2009, and failing to ensure a duty pump and standby pump were maintained in good working order. Local residents living beside the river reported the pollution to the Environment Agency, who arrived quickly and took samples from the river. NI Water staff were then called out to repair the pumps. The water samples had a biochemical reading of 227mg per liter against a legal limit of 15mg per litre. Neighbours said that there were numerous discharges and faults in the pumping station but these wer normally reported directly to Water NI. Since the faults were reported to the Environment Agency, with the power to take legal action, the frequency of pollution events has decreased. The river in question flows onto Cloughey Beach about 50m from the pumping station so the risk of pollution to the beach and the water in the bay is significant. Fortunately, the sewage spills did not coincide with the water quality tests commissioned by the CDCA and which have consistently shown very safe levels. Like most public sewage systems in Northern Ireland, the main sewer in Cloughey has overflow sluices that discharge raw sewage into water courses when the system becomes blocked or overloaded. In this case, the pumps that were supposed to pump the sewage on to the Waste Water Treatment Plant on Slanes Point both failed and the telemetry system that should have informed staff in HQ also failed. It is only through the vigilence of neighbours and their knowledge of the correct number to ring (ie Environment Agency not NI Water) that legal action was taken. NI Water's lawyer stated that they were hamnstrung by antiquated systems but had made large strides to improve them with new pumps being introduced across the province. There was another spillage from the Pumping Station on 32/5/2010 and again both pumps failed and the telemetry system did not pick up the fault. The number to ring when you notice any pollution in a river or watercourse or indeed anywhere is 0800-807060. This line is manned 24hrs and will deal quickly with all reports.

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