Northern Ireland Water Limited has pleaded guilty and was fined £1,500 at Belfast Magistrates’ Court today.

They were charged with making a polluting discharge from the Dromore Wastewater Treatment Works (WWTW), Dromore, Co Down.

On 9 January 2014, a Senior Water Quality Inspector acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, carried out a routine inspection of the outlet from Dromore Wastewater Treatment Works and observed an active discharge from the storm pipe. The discharge to the River Lagan was occurring during a period of dry weather and sewage debris was observed around the outfall.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter, which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.