THE news that Northumbrian Water is under investigation after a regulator expressed “serious concerns” over its sewage treatment works comes after it was fined thousands of pounds for pollution incidents in County Durham.  

Ofwat said that the information it was sent in December raised one of several concerns for each company.

Either it reported many wastewater treatment works which might not be meeting their environmental rules, raised concerns about how the company meets environmental obligations, or did not show the company’s workings.

Northumbrian Water, which serves 1.3m properties and 2.7m people in the North East, was outlined as one of the five worst in the country.

Read more: Ofwat's 'serious concerns' over Northumbrian Water sewage works

The regional water company was fined £240,000 and ordered to pay £34,238 in January following a sewage discharge which polluted Coundon Burn and the adjoining River Gaunless, at Auckland Park, near Bishop Auckland, in March 2017.

The Northern Echo: Sewage entering the River Gaunless from polluted Coundon Burn, near Bishop Auckland, in March 2017. Picture: HandoutSewage entering the River Gaunless from polluted Coundon Burn, near Bishop Auckland, in March 2017. Picture: Handout

The Northern Echo:

Blockage in a sewer caused raw sewage to pour out of manhole chambers near the watercourse, and flow into the burn.

An Environment Agency investigation found that a 300-metre stretch of the burn was polluted by sewage material. Raw sewage, potentially fatal to aquatic life, had entered the burn.

Thick sewage fungus was found coating the stream and was visible in it for another 300 metres, the prosecution said.

Northumbrian Water admitted two breaches of environmental legislation, namely that it caused an unauthorised water discharge activity, at a hearing in October.

It came after it was fined £540,000, with £142,000 costs, in October 2021 after it admitted charges brought by the Environment Agency following a similar pollution case at Heads Hope Burn, near Castle Eden, in County Durham, in May 2017.

Raw untreated sewage was discovered flowing from a burst manhole cover.

The Northern Echo: Sewage effluent pours from a manhole in Heads Hope Dene, near Castle Eden. Picture: ENVIRONMENT AGENCYSewage effluent pours from a manhole in Heads Hope Dene, near Castle Eden. Picture: ENVIRONMENT AGENCY

Read more: Northumbrian Water investigated after Darlington water issue

Northumbrian Water also came under fire in February when thousands of Darlington residents were urged to boil their tap water before using it after an incident at the town’s treatment works at Broken Scar.

A fault with a valve allowed a small amount of water into the networks that had not been fully disinfected.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate is investigating how the issue occurred and is inviting residents to feedback their experiences.

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