Uisce Éireann Fined €3,500 for Sewage Pollution in Cavan

Uisce Éireann has been fined €3,500 following a sewage discharge incident that polluted a vital trout spawning habitat near Cavan town. The incident occurred on July 1, 2023, when wastewater was released from a pumping station, resulting in sewage fungus covering a 2-kilometre stretch of the Cavan River downstream. The discharge led to the death of 150 juvenile and adult brown trout, prompting the court’s ruling.

The Cavan District Court addressed the case on October 3, 2023, where Uisce Éireann was found guilty of multiple breaches of water pollution regulations. In addition to the fine, the utility was ordered to pay €4,158 in costs related to the incident. The court heard that the presence of sewage fungus indicated chronic organic pollution rather than an isolated occurrence. This ongoing issue has severely affected local aquatic life, including fish and invertebrates.

Dr. Milton Matthews, the north-western director of Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI), expressed relief at the court’s decision. “This contamination event should never have happened. It resulted in the needless and avoidable death of a significant number of brown trout,” he stated. This incident follows a similar case in December 2020, where Uisce Éireann was fined €2,000 and faced additional costs of €3,197 for a discharge at a different location on the same river.

In a statement released after the court ruling, Uisce Éireann acknowledged the environmental damage caused by the incident and the distress it had inflicted on the local community. To prevent future occurrences, the organization has implemented several measures aimed at improving operational compliance. These include the installation of new sensors designed to detect issues within the pumping station, enabling immediate corrective actions.

The utility has also developed and enforced new operational procedures, which consist of weekly inspections of both the river and the pumping station, along with daily monitoring and control data readings. A spokesperson for Uisce Éireann emphasized their commitment to rectifying the situation and minimizing any potential future harm.

Inland Fisheries Ireland has urged the public to report any instances of water pollution, fish kills, habitat destruction, or illegal fishing activities. They encourage the community to reach out to their confidential 24/7 hotline at 0818 34 74 24 to help protect Ireland’s fragile aquatic ecosystems.