Key facts
- United Utilities fined £964,225 for illegally discharging raw sewage into the Lancashire coast.
- The company pleaded guilty to five environmental permit offenses.
- Sewage was released from pumping stations over 35 hours in June 2023.
- The pollution impacted bathing waters, beaches, and shellfish beds.
- The incident was caused by a partial collapse of a final effluent pipe at Fleetwood wastewater treatment works.
United Utilities has been ordered to pay nearly £1 million in fines and costs after admitting to five environmental permit offenses related to the illegal discharge of raw sewage into the Lancashire coastline in June 2023. The pollution affected seaside holiday locations including Blackpool, Lytham St Annes, Fleetwood, and Cleveleys.
Preston magistrates court imposed the penalty of £964,225 on Tuesday. The sewage was released from pumping stations at Manchester Square, Anchorsholme, and Chatsworth Avenue for over 35 hours across several days. The Environment Agency subsequently issued 'no bathing' advice for all eight designated bathing waters along the affected coast, with United Utilities' own modeling confirming that a sewage plume had reached seven of these waters and significantly impacted water quality.
Communities and businesses along the Fylde coast experienced significant disruption. Reports indicated sewage on beaches and at marine recreational facilities, and tests revealed the presence of E. coli. Three shellfish beds were temporarily closed as a public health precaution. The incident began when a partial collapse of a final effluent pipe at Fleetwood wastewater treatment works reduced its capacity, causing wastewater to back up and overflow from the pumping stations during rainfall.
An Environment Agency investigation concluded that United Utilities had failed to meet the conditions of its environmental permits. The company accepted the incident's classification as category one, the agency's most serious level. Andy Brown, the Environment Agency's water regulation manager, stated that the fine reflects the seriousness of the offenses and the harm caused. United Utilities has issued apologies for the incident, acknowledging responsibility and admitting they fell short of expected standards.