Failing to adhere to a condition of its licence cost Scottish Water £2,500 at Stirling Sheriff Court on Tuesday 2 September 2008.

The water authority pleaded guilty to failing to comply with a water use licence condition which specified that a continuous flow recorder, with on-site visual display from which readings would be readily obtained, and an associated data storage facility would be provided and maintained. In light of Scottish Water’s failure to install and maintain the necessary equipment, the matter was reported to the Procurator Fiscal by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Fintry waste water treatment works discharges fully treated sewage effluent and, in storm conditions, partially treated sewage effluent to the Endrick Water. In September 2006 Scottish Water was granted a licence by SEPA to increase the flow passing through the upgraded works. In the licence, SEPA included a condition relating to flow recording equipment because the Endrick Water is a Special Area of Conservation. This is primarily due to the populations of brook and river lamprey, but also the presence of Atlantic salmon.

The installation of monitoring equipment would enable SEPA to assess how well the works was handling the current flows, and what its future potential would be. Some monitoring equipment was installed; however all the necessary equipment was not provided and properly operating between 1 January 2007 and 22 April 2008. On several occasions SEPA was informed that work was required to reconfigure or replace the equipment.

SEPA’s Les Watson said:

“At the moment the discharge from Fintry is not affecting the water quality of the Endrick Water, but the upgraded works allows for a theoretical increase in housing in the village and hence increased flow from the works. The Endrick Water is a Special Area of Conservation and SEPA must ensure that the discharge of sewage effluent does not have a significant impact on the lamprey and salmon, species which are highly sensitive to pollution.

“Scottish Water was legally required to install and maintain flow recording equipment. Effective flow recording and data storage was not achieved for the whole of 2007 and part of 2008."