Thames Water has been fined a record £1 million after repeatedly polluting a canal in Hertfordshire.

The water utility company pleaded guilty to two charges under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010 at St Albans Crown Court on 04 January.

In addition, it was ordered to pay costs of over £18,000 and a victim surcharge of £120.

The court heard how Thames Water has a permit to discharge treated effluent from Tring STW into the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

The conditions of the Environmental Permit set by the Environment Agency aim to prevent any negative impact upon the canal itself and activities such as boating and fishing which take place on or in it.

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However, poorly performing inlet screens caused equipment at the works to block, leading to sewage debris and sewage sludge being discharged into the canal.

The inlet screens should take out the majority of sewage debris referred to as 'rag' from the process, but the screens had repeatedly failed in this case.

After receiving complaints from the Canal, the Rivers Trust and the general public, the Environment Agency (EA) attended the site on several occasions and saw sewage debris including panty liners and ear buds in the vicinity of the outfall.

Explaining why the fine was so large, HHJ Bright QC said: "The time has now come for the courts to make clear that very large organisations such as [Thames Water] really must bring about the reforms and improvements for which they say they are striving because if they do not the sentences passed upon them for environmental offences will be sufficiently severe to have a significant impact on their finances."

(LM)