Interserve was contracted to South East Water over an 18-month period at the Crowhurst Bridge Water Treatment Works. The Environment Agency discovered a brown discharge downstream of the works after a member of the public reported the discoloured water. Further investigations showed that the river was visibly but locally impacted on a temporary basis.
In mitigation it was stated that this was an isolated incident of 25 minutes duration, during an 18-month contract and that the company was of previous good character. There was no evidence that local wildlife was adversely affected.
Environment Agency manager David Willis said: 鈥淲e take these incidents very seriously and do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people that may be affected.鈥
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