Southern Water Fined £7 Million for Illegal Sewage Discharges
Southern Water has been ordered to pay a fine of more than £7 million after pleading guilty to 13 offences related to illegal sewage discharges off the Kent coast between 2019 and 2021. The sentencing took place at Canterbury Crown Court on Friday, with Mr Justice Johnson imposing a total fine of £7,127,083.
The company, described as having a “protracted history of non-compliance,” admitted to dumping untreated sewage at Margate and Broadstairs wastewater pumping stations. Nine counts related to the discharge of untreated sewage, three counts were for failing to notify authorities promptly, and one count was for lacking a standby pump at Margate’s station between July 2019 and October 2020.
Pattern of Repeated Incidents Over Several Years
Mr Justice Johnson highlighted the severity of the offences, stating: “The harm was not confined to a single event, but arose from a pattern of repeated incidents over several years. Taken together, the offending caused serious degradation of environmental quality, significant interference with public amenity, potential risk to public health and damage to the reputation of an important coastal community.”
The court heard details of specific incidents, including an intermittent sewage flow at Margate on July 20, 2019, lasting nearly 22 hours, with the Environment Agency notified more than 32 hours after the first discharge. Another incident at Broadstairs on February 16, 2021, involved untreated sewage dumped into the sea for nearly five hours due to a computer control fault, with solid waste washing up on the coast.
Previous Convictions and Financial Context
The judge noted that Southern Water is a “very large” organisation with annual revenue between £800 million and £1 billion over the last three years. The company has 174 previous convictions, with convictions every year from 1999 to 2016 and as recently as April 2024. “This record of criminality, to the great detriment of the environment and the community in Kent, is an exceptionally serious aggravating factor,” Mr Justice Johnson said.
This fine follows a record £90 million penalty imposed on Southern Water in 2021 for nearly 7,000 sewage incidents across Hampshire, Kent, and Sussex.
Impact on Beaches and Public Health
The court was shown images of pollution on beaches, including sanitary items in the sea and sewage debris. A “high profile pollution incident” between June 16-17, 2021, led to 11 bathing waters being closed by Thanet council for a week. Warnings were placed on beaches, and cleaners swept the coast for waste.
Prosecutor Andrew Marshall noted that the sewage discharged at Broadstairs was “unscreened,” meaning solid waste remained, and a lot of sewage debris washed up on the coast. The Environment Agency stated that the company’s failures caused harm from a pattern of repeated incidents over several years.
