United Utilities Fined for UK Sewage Treatment Violations

A United Kingdom Magistrates court has fined water and wastewater company United Utilities PLC (UU) GBP $51,000 for insufficiently disinfecting sewage discharge, the Environment Agency said in a statement yesterday.

The company is required to disinfect sewage discharge from its Preston Wastewater Treatment Works by ultraviolet irradiation, which must exceed a specific dose limit for monthly and 24-hour reporting periods, the statement said.

United Utilities pleaded guilty to failing to meet the monthly dosing requirement during April 2000 , the statement said. The company also failed to provide a number of dose measurement and sampling data to the Environment Agency between April 1, 2000 and March 31, 2001 .

The company has been ordered to pay a further GBP $1,937 to the Environment Agency to cover prosecution costs, the statement said.

Source: Dow Jones Newswire