§ Mr. WyattTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many successful prosecutions the Environment Agency has undertaken against Southern Water; and what fines have been imposed. [123752]
§ Mr. Mullin[holding answer 25 May 2000]Listed are details of the successful prosecutions carried out against Southern Water by the Environment Agency since July 1990 and the fines imposed by various Magistrates and Crown courts: 201W
Date Court Offence Fine (£) 9 September 1997 Hastings MC For causing sodium hypochlorite to enter the River Brede on 24 October 1996 4,000 and 680 costs 15 September 1997 Sevenoaks MC For causing sewage to escape at Hadlow Stair Tonbridge on 20 August 1996 Fined 2,500 and 580 costs 17 October 1997 Maidstone Crown court For causing sewage to enter the River Bourne at Plaxtol on 16 August 1996 with like offence on 25 May 1997 taken into consideration Fined 3,000 and 580 costs on appeal from West Mailing MC 27 November 1998 Eastleigh MC For causing sewage to escape from an inspection chamber into the Tanners Brook at Springford Gardens, Southampton on 29 January 1998 Fined 2,000 and 630 costs 5 February 1999 Portsmouth Crown court For causing sewage to enter the River Wallington at Fareham on 29 December 1997 Fined 4,000 and 630 costs on appeal from South Hampshire MC 12 February 1999 Canterbury MC For breach of lookup table in that there were 19 failures of consent when the tables allowed a maximum of three for the range of 17 to 28 samples taken during the year ending 7 November 1997 Fined 10,000 and 660 costs 17 March 1999 Lewes MC For causing pollution to escape from Coopers Green Pumping Station, Uckfield into adjoining unnamed tributary of the River Uck on 23 December 1997 Fined 5,000 and 360 costs 8 July 1999 Canterbury MC For causing screened sewage to enter the Swalecliffe Brook at Whitstable, Kent from Brook Road Pumping Station on 5 July 1998 Fined 1,500 and 580 costs 10 August 1999 Fareham MC For causing sewage to discharge from inspection chamber into unnamed tributary of River Hamble near Sarisbury, Hants on 16 August 1998 Fined 2,500 and 670 costs 25 August 1999 New Forest MC For breaching the terms of a consent to discharge by discharge by discharging from Barton on Sea works into the Beckton Bunny on 26 October 1998 at a time when there were not storm conditions Fined 5,000 and 706 costs 15 November 1999 Medway MC For causing sewage to enter Janes Creek, Strood due t blockage in sewer and consequent backing up into surface water system on 10 March 1999 Fined 1,000 and 620 costs 4 January 2000 Maidstone MC For causing diluted sewage to enter an unnamed stream at Bearsted, Maidstone due to failure of pump systems at Ware Street Pumping Station on 6 June 1999 Fined 4,500 and 600 costs 10 February 2000 Southampton MC For causing sewage to enter the Sholing Common Stream, Southampton due to blockage in sewer system on 5 November 1999 Fined 2,500 and 640 costs 28 February 2000 Canterbury MC For breach of consent at May Street STW, Herne Bay on 20 and 21 December 1998 Fined 6,000 (3,000 on each of two charges) and 660 costs 20 March 2000 Horsham MC For causing pollution to enter the Brockhurst Brook, Billingshurst, Sussex on 19 October 1998 Fined 7,500 and 660 costs