Three water companies have agreed to pay a total of £847,000 in Enforcement Undertakings accepted by the Environment Agency during the period 10 September 2021 to 31 December 2021.

An Enforcement Undertakings (EU) is a voluntary offer made by an offender to:

• put right the effects of their offending
• put right the impact on third parties
• make sure the offence cannot happen again

The water company offences were as follows:

Northumbrian Water

The offence was operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit for a water discharge activity – Regulation 38(1). It relates to an unauthorised sewage discharge from Horsley Water Treatment Works and pollution incident of Kitty’s Burn, Horsley, Near Newcastle upon Tyne in November 2018.

This was a reactive offer. The actions the water company has taken or will take are to:

• cease the activity giving rise to the incident
• carry out clean up and sampling work
• carry out investigation work to produce a site drainage plan
• develop operating procedures across all similar sites
• upgrade the site
• invest in new machinery for the site
• cover the Environment Agency’s costs

They will contribute £165,000 to Tyne Rivers Trust.

Severn Trent Water

The offence was failure to comply with permit conditions for a water discharge activity – Regulation 38(2). It relates to an unauthorised sewage discharge and pollution incident of Tuffley Brook, Gloucester in December 2017.

This was a reactive offer. The actions the water company has taken or will take are to:

• install a telemetry monitor on the sewer
• cover the Environment Agency’s costs

They will contribute £112,000 to Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust.

Severn Trent Water

The offences were:

• operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit for a water discharge activity – Regulation 38(1)
• failure to comply with permit conditions for a water discharge activity – Regulation 38(2)

It relates to an unauthorised detergent discharge from Buxton Sewage Treatment Works and pollution incident of River Wye, Buxton on various dates between June 2018 and August 2018.

This was a reactive offer. The actions the water company has taken or will take are to:

• increase the number of annual sampling visits
• develop an action to respond to similar events
• refurbish a pumping station which contributed to the incident
• give compensation payments to impacted third parties
• cover the Environment Agency’s costs

They will contribute £270,000 to Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.

Yorkshire Water Services

The offences were:

• operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit for a water discharge activity – Regulation 38(1)
• failure to comply with permit conditions for a water discharge activity – Regulation 38(2)

It relates to an unauthorised sewage discharge from Garforth storm tanks and pollution incident of Kippax Beck, Leeds in November 2018.

This was a reactive offer. The actions the water company has taken or will take are to:

• replace machinery and equipment
• carry out a review of alarm set points
• carry out site repairs
• carry out an environmental survey
• cover the Environment Agency’s costs

They will contribute £300,000 to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust.

If the Agency accepts an offer it becomes a legally binding agreement between the EA and the business or person who makes the offer. The Agency said it will only consider accepting an EU for cases where:

• it is not in the public interest to prosecute
• the offer itself addresses the cause and effect of the offending
• the offer protects, restores or enhances the natural capital of England