Anglian Water fined £1.6m for sewage pollution in Essex

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 16 Oct, 13:30 · Archive

Anglian Water has been fined £1.6 million after untreated sewage from a faulty valve polluted Essex's River Brain for three months.

Anglian Water has been fined £1.6 million after repeated sewage pollution incidents at the River Brain in Essex. The Environment Agency investigation found that a faulty valve at the company's Braintree water recycling centre led to untreated sewage entering the river between April and June 2022. The pollution affected nearly 14km of the river between Braintree and Witham, with the Environment Agency recording its highest toxic ammonia levels in a decade during the period.

The Environment Agency found that Anglian Water ignored alarms showing poorly treated sewage was being discharged because of the faulty valve. Poor staff communication also made matters worse, the agency said. Marcus Sibley, water industry regulatory manager for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, stated that the incidents 'were the result of organisational failure by Anglian Water to recognise risk and act on the warning signs, resulting in them operating outside the law' and that they 'caused a significant impact on the quality of River Brain'.

Anglian Water has apologised for the effect on the river, acknowledging that its procedure fell well below its standards. The company said its £11 billion investment plan to improve infrastructure is already underway, with work scheduled between 2025 and 2030 aimed at delivering the performance that customers expect. The Environment Agency said it has significantly increased scrutiny of the water industry and will take enforcement action where performance does not meet the standards that communities deserve.

How it is being reported

• Anglian Water fined £1.6m after sewage polluted 14km of Essex riverAnglian Water fined £1.6m after untreated sewage from Braintree water recycling centre polluted Essex’s River Brain, affecting 14km and raising ammonia levels.Colchester Gazette · 16 Oct, 12:44
• Anglian Water fined £1.6m after sewage polluted 14km of Essex riverAnglian Water fined £1.6m after untreated sewage from Braintree water recycling centre polluted Essex’s River Brain, affecting 14km and raising ammonia levels.Echo (Basildon) · 16 Oct, 12:44
• Anglian Water fined £1.6m after sewage polluted 14km of Essex riverAnglian Water fined £1.6m after untreated sewage from Braintree water recycling centre polluted Essex’s River Brain, affecting 14km and raising ammonia levels.Brentwood Guardian · 16 Oct, 12:44

In this story: Anglian Water · Environment Agency · River Brain · Braintree · Witham · Essex · Marcus Sibley

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