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Waterways: Thames Diesel Pollution

Answer

The leak of diesel into the River Thames at Maidenhead was first reported to the Environment Agency on 13 September at 1740. Environment Agency officers attended the incident and observed that the diesel appeared iridescent on the water. As a result it would not have had any impact on fish stocks, birds or other wildlife. The Environment Agency officers who attended the incident did not observe any impact on birds in the vicinity of the diesel. The Environment Agency assesses incidents according to their potential to cause environmental harm and the enforcement response depends on this classification. This incident was classified as a ““category 3”” incident, to which the normal enforcement response is a warning letter. The Environment Agency notified the relevant water companies of the incident on the evening of 13 September at 1845. However, there was no evidence at that time to confirm that the abstractions would be affected. The water companies responded by stopping abstraction until approximately 1000 the following morning. Shortly after this time the Environment Agency informed the water companies that no diesel was on the river and abstraction then began immediately. We have no plans to review the existing powers. The Environment Agency has power to prevent or remedy pollution of controlled waters through the issue of notices under The Anti-Pollution Works Regulations 1999. These regulations enable the Environment Agency to serve ““works notices”” on polluters or potential polluters. A works notice will specify works or operations which the recipient of the notice must carry out where pollution has already taken place to waters, or measures to take to prevent pollution occurring. Any costs associated with preventive or remedial works would be a matter for the recipient of the notice. Any person who fails to comply with the requirements of a works notice is guilty of an offence and is liable on summary conviction (magistrates’ court) to a fine of up to £20,000 and/or up to three months’ imprisonment, and on conviction on indictment (Crown Court) to an unlimited fine and/or up to two years’ imprisonment.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

5375; 695 c8-10WA

Session

2006-07

Subjects

Environment Agency Pollution Powers Pollution control Water Wildlife Water abstraction Diesel Maidenhead River Thames

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk