Yorkshire Water pays £150,000 civil penalty for sewage spill

Yorkshire Water has agreed to pay a £150,000 civil penalty to Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust following an unauthorised discharge of sewage into the River Don in Sheffield in April 2020. 

The Environment Agency reported finding sewage at Kirk Bridge Dike in Sheffield’s Darnall area. The water company was reported as saying the agency had found "limited evidence of harm to the watercourse".

The payment was made under an enforcement undertaking – a measure whereby offenders can “correct and restore harm caused to the environment and prevent repeat incidents by improving procedures, helping ensure future compliance with environmental requirements.”

Yorkshire Water agreed also to cover the Environment Agency’s investigation costs and to replace the sensor on telemetry equipment at Darnall Road Combined Sewer Overflow “to ensure they are made aware of any further issues at the asset as they occur.”