26
Aug 2016
Utility Company Fined £380,000
Yorkshire Water has recently been fined £350,000 for illegally discharging sewage in North Yorkshire.
Yorkshire Water pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to offences relating to a sewer overflow in Harrogate. Yorkshire Water was also required to pay £30,000 in costs to the Environment Agency.
The incident, in April 2013, related to a sewer overflow which caused untreated sewage to flow in to a water course in the River Crimple. The Court was told that toilet rolls and rags could be seen and the water downstream was a cloudy yellow grey colour and smelled strongly of sewage.
The Court also heard that Yorkshire Water had not sought to evade its responsibilities and in fact had self-reported the incident. The company pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and co-operated with the Environment Agency’s investigation and clean-up.
This case shows the importance of seeking legal advice to ensure that sufficient consideration is given to how to deal with a regulator’s investigation and the appropriate point in a case that it may be necessary to plead guilty.
For more information on Health & Safety Law services at Chadwick Lawrence Solicitors click here.
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