Daily sewage spills into brook illegal - watchdog

Overflows at a Herefordshire sewage plant lasting more than a month were illegal and could lead to enforcement action, the Environment Agency (EA) has said.

Untreated spills from Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water's Kingsland wastewater treatment works by the Pinsley Brook, a tributary of the River Lugg, have continued daily since 1 March, according to online monitoring data.

A spokesperson for the water firm previously said high volumes of groundwater entering the system at the plant was overwhelming it.

It added it was looking into work to address the issue and the spillage would be a "heavily diluted" mix of rainwater and groundwater.

The EA said: "This is not a permitted storm overflow and as such these discharges are illegal.

"We are actively investigating the situation and will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action."

Sewage treatment works take raw sewage to produce effluent that can be safely discharged into local waterways.

According to the EA, all storm overflows at sewage treatment works now have event duration monitors with the data relayed online, enabling it to hold water companies to account.

Welsh Water was prosecuted for excessive sewage discharge from its Clehonger Sewage Treatment Works last July and was fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of nearly £12,000.

David Gillam, chairman of campaign group Save the Wye Coalition, said: "It's not clear to us from Welsh Water's response how they mean to prevent the spillage.

"Will it simply go on and on?"

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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