A LANDFILL company has breached its permit after a leak of waste water from a Colchester treatment site, which sparked concerns of river contamination.

A report from the Environment Agency states bosses of Bellhouse Landfill site, in Warren Lane, Heckfordbridge, did not follow management guidelines for the incidents involving leaks or spillages, referred to as leachate.

The agency was contacted on March 27 by an anonymous person who informed it about the leak of waste water from the site, how it was spilling into the road, and was “at risk of entering a surface water ditch linked to the nearby Roman river”.

The agency investigated and found no evidence the waste water entered the ditch and also found no evidence of contamination of the river.

However it ordered the owner of the site, Enovert, to ensure staff undertake refresher training.  The report found there had been two breaches of the permit.

The report states: “As some leachate had overtopped the side wall and affected the adjacent land, you will be scored a category 3 for this non compliance.

“It is considered that the operative responsible did not follow the relevant leachate management documentation as referred to in Table S1.2 Operating techniques and therefore you will be scored a category 3 breach for this non compliance.

“You were aware of the incident as early as 7am on the day and therefore a call to the 24-hour hotline before 11am should have been raised, with a schedule 5 to follow.

“The EA is disappointed that they were only alerted to the incident via an anonymous report. This could be considered a breach of permit.”

Enovert was contacted for comment.