United Utilities fined for water quality offence

United Utilities has been fined for a water quality offence, after it was found guilty of polluting the River Tame.

Earlier this week, Tameside Magistrates' Court heard how the company contaminated the waterway near Mossley with bleach, which resulted in the hundreds of fish dying.

It pleaded guilty to the offence and was charged £24,000 after residents reported a large number of deaths in the river to the Environment Agency in June 2009.

The group led an investigation into the drop in water quality and found that there was an overflow of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) at United Utilities' site in the area.

David Orr, environment officer for the agency, said the Environment Agency works hard to improve water quality in rivers across the UK.

"United Utilities use sodium hypochlorite on site as part of the treatment process and is fully aware of the risk of harm if it discharges into drains and watercourses," he said.

This breach of green regulations comes despite the water firm's commitment to "protect and enhance the environment" that it operates in.

Posted by Joseph Hutton