News

Severn Trent has successfully prosecuted a Black Country company for exceeding the limits of what they were allowed to discharge to the sewers.

Star Polishing and Plating of Graiseley Row in Wolverhampton was ordered to pay a £3,600 fine, costs of £4,256 and a victim surcharge of £170 during a hearing at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on Thursday 7 June.

The prosecution was undertaken after levels of nickel and chromium exceeding the agreed consent were found in waste being discharged to the sewer. The PH level was also found to be 5.4 – outside the agreed limits of 6 to 11.

Tom Haighton, Commercial Waste Manager for Severn Trent, said: “This was a fine which reflects the seriousness of the offence. It’s ultimately our customers who pay for damage to our sewer network and treatment works, and we hope this prosecution makes it clear that illegal discharges will be acted upon.

“We work closely with businesses across the region to prevent breaches occurring in the first place, and a prosecution like this is always a last resort but also an important deterrent.”

The offending samples were taken on 31 January 2017. It is a criminal offence under section 121 of the Water Industry Act to discharge trade effluent into a public sewer in breach of legal limits regulating what it can contain.