Severn Trent fined £15,000 for Bishop's Castle pollution
Water giant Severn Trent has been fined £15,000 after admitting allowing toxic ammonia to pollute a watercourse in Shropshire in what was described as management failings.
The water company blamed management failings for the pollution from its sewage plant at Bishop's Castle.
It was yesterday fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £3,878 in costs, along with a £15 victim surcharge, after admitting breaching an environmental permit at Telford Magistrates Court.
The court was told the case related to the release of ammonia between March 2010 and March 2011.
Twelve samples were taken at Bishop's Castle sewage treatment works over the year and three were above the permitted ammonia limit, the court was told.
Ammonia can be fatal to fish and aquatic wildlife.
Severn Trent apologised for the breach and admitted that there had been management failings at the works.
The firm said the treatment works had also been affected by the winter weather and that it had problems treating effluent from a local abattoir, which subsequently closed.
Speaking after the case, Adam Shipp, the Environment Agency officer in charge of the investigation, said: "In this case, Severn Trent fell short of their responsibilities to properly manage and maintain their sewage treatment works."
