Thames Water has been slapped with a staggering £3.3 million fine for what has been described as a “reckless” incident that occurred in 2017. During this incident, millions of litres of undiluted sewage were illegally pumped into rivers near Gatwick Airport, causing significant pollution.
The sentencing hearing, which lasted for two days at Lewes Crown Court, revealed that there was a prolonged period of pollution between Crawley in West Sussex and Horley in Surrey, affecting the Gatwick Stream and River Mole. Judge Christine Laing KC, presiding over the case, criticized Thames Water for their deliberate attempt to mislead the Environment Agency. This included omitting water readings and submitting a report denying any responsibility for the incident. The judge expressed her belief that Thames Water had engaged in deceptive tactics to avoid accountability.
Although Thames Water had admitted guilt to four charges related to the illegal discharge of waste in October 2017, they denied deliberately misleading the Environment Agency. Instead, they argued that “significant errors were made” in their operations. The court learned that a storm pump had unexpectedly activated, filling up an overflow storm tank for 21 hours, even though there was no substantial rainfall. Unfortunately, this went unnoticed. Eventually, on October 11, 2017, the pump began spilling sewage into the river, and this pollution continued for approximately six hours.
Judge Laing KC addressed Thames Water, the largest water company in the UK, which had previously faced 20 fines for pollution spillage. In fact, just six months prior to this incident, they had received the largest fine ever recorded for such offenses. The judge criticized the company for failing to take adequate action in resolving the issues that led to these incidents, stating that they should have dedicated themselves to rectifying the problem areas.
Overall, Thames Water’s actions have resulted in a substantial fine, reflecting the seriousness of their negligence and the impact of their actions on the environment. It is crucial for companies to prioritize responsible waste management practices and take prompt action in mitigating pollution risks.
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