Anglian Water has been fined £1.6m for repeated sewage pollution of the River Brain in Essex over six weeks in 2022. The River Brain pollution stretched for nearly 14km between Braintree and Witham and was traced to the company’s water recycling centre in Braintree.
The case was brought by the Environment Agency. The regulator said a faulty valve, ignored alarms and poor communication between staff had led to poorly treated sewage being discharged into the river.
Faulty valve and ignored alarms
District judge Timothy King heard that local mismanagement by Anglian Water led to a general decline in water quality between April and June 2022. The company ignored alarms indicating that poorly treated sewage was being discharged into the river because of the faulty valve. Staff did not talk to each other about the incidents.
According to the Environment Agency, the valve had been broken for a week before the first incident in April 2022. Its failure meant that semi-solid sludge, which water companies usually remove from sewage, caused high levels of ammonia to be released into the river.
How the River Brain pollution was traced
The problem was identified by Environment Agency monitors. They showed levels of toxic ammonia that were the highest recorded in the river over the previous 10 years, and an investigation by the regulator traced the source to the Braintree site.
Further discharges in late May, similar to the first, led investigators to track the substance as it moved along the river.
Regulator and minister comment on the case
Marcus Sibley, water industry regulatory manager for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said: “We have significantly ramped up our scrutiny of the water industry, and will take enforcement action where we find performance doesn’t meet the standards that communities deserve.”
“These pollution incidents were the result of organisational failure by Anglian Water to recognise risk and act on the warning signs, and meant they operated outside the law. The discharges caused a significant impact on the quality of River Brain.”
Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle, of the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, said: “Anglian Water have clearly been too slow to act in this case and the environment has paid the price. They should, and must, do better to stop pollution before it happens.”
“The government is overhauling the water system to give the public control. Tougher regulation, stronger enforcement and greater accountability, so water companies deliver for customers and the environment.”
Charges and sentence
The Environment Agency charged Anglian Water with causing a discharge of untreated sewage into the River Brain outside of its environmental permit for Braintree water recycling centre between 13 April and 2 June 2022. It also charged the company with failing to comply with the permit, as a separate offence.
The prosecution was brought under regulations 12(1)(a), 38(1)(a) and 38(2) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. Sitting at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 14 October, district judge King also ordered Anglian Water to pay costs of £27,334 and a £190 surcharge.
Separately, the Environment Agency said Anglian Water had admitted polluting the Thames Estuary on two occasions. The company pleaded guilty last week to discharging sewage and other harmful material off Southend in 2021 and 2022, and is due to be sentenced next April.
Wider scrutiny of water companies
The Environment Agency said its regulation of water companies has increased sharply in recent years. Extra funding from central government has enabled more inspections of water treatment plants and other facilities. In the 12 months to March, officers completed nearly 1,800 inspections of Anglian Water’s wastewater sites and identified more than 830 actions to improve their operations.
Anglian Water was classified as a 2-star-performing company in the Environment Agency’s last environmental performance assessment. Water companies in England have been successfully prosecuted by the Environment Agency more than 70 times since 2015, resulting in £169m in fines.
H2O Global News has previously reported on gaps in sewage pollution monitoring in Devon. Full details of the case are set out in the Environment Agency’s announcement.
Frequently asked questions
Why was Anglian Water fined £1.6m?
Anglian Water was fined £1.6m for repeated sewage pollution of the River Brain in Essex over six weeks in 2022. The pollution came from its Braintree water recycling centre.
What caused the River Brain pollution?
A faulty valve, broken for a week before the first incident in April 2022, meant semi-solid sludge caused high levels of ammonia to be released into the river. The company also ignored alarms, and staff did not talk to each other about the incidents.
How far did the pollution spread along the River Brain?
The pollution stretched for nearly 14km along the River Brain between Braintree and Witham.
What else was Anglian Water ordered to pay?
District judge Timothy King, sitting at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on 14 October, also ordered Anglian Water to pay costs of £27,334 and a £190 surcharge.
How many times have water companies in England been prosecuted by the Environment Agency?
According to the Environment Agency, water companies in England have been successfully prosecuted more than 70 times since 2015, with £169m in fines.
