Anglian Water fined £2.65 million over North Sea sewage leak

Anglian Water received the fine, the largest ever imposed for environmental offences in the East of England, after admitting allowing untreated sewage to overflow into the North Sea.

According to the Environment Agency, the issue occurred following a catalogue of errors by the water company to manage and monitor wastewater at the water recycling centre in Jaywick.

Anglian Water was ordered to pay prosecution costs of more than £16,000 and a victim surcharge of £170 at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court resulting in a total financial penalty of over £2.65 million.

Fined - Anglian Water (Image: Supplied)

The water company said it is “disappointed and confused about the level of the fine and the way it was derived”, claiming “the judge found there was no harmful impact on the environment”.

An Anglian Water spokesperson said: “We apologise wholeheartedly for this incident. We’re very clear that one spill is one too many and we are constantly striving to improve our systems to predict, mitigate and, where possible, eliminate events like these from happening.

“There is no place for spills, but fines should be proportionate to the environmental impact. On this occasion the judge agreed that there was none.”

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An Environment Agency investigation in 2018 revealed the discharges, over a one-month period, were enough to fill more than three Olympic-sized swimming pools.

Its senior environment officer Jeremy Hay said the Environment Agency “welcomed the sentence”.

Ellisif Wasmuth, a campaigner from Extinction Rebellion Colchester, said: “After 30 years of privatisation of our water companies, it's good that there is finally some focus on their criminal pollution of our seas and waterways.

Campaigner - Ellisif Wasmuth from Extinction Rebellion Colchester (Image: Ellisif Wasmuth)

“Unfortunately, estimates show that only ten per cent of illegal discharges are prosecuted by the Environment Agency. In the middle of an ecological emergency, this is completely unacceptable.”

Discussing the Environment Agency’s handling of such matters, Mr Hay added: “Polluters should always be held to account, and, as much as our resources allow, we will always investigate significant pollution incidents and bring those responsible before the courts.”

Green Party Colchester councillor Richard Kirkby-Taylor fears water companies will continue to pollute waterways “unless fines make it economically unviable”.

Concerned - Richard Kirkby-Taylor (right) pictured with Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsey (Image: Ellisif Wasmuth)

He added: “This just goes to show the failures that trying to run public infrastructure for profit creates.”