UISCE ÉIREANN has been fined €4,000 and ordered to pay expenses of €3,039 over a river pollution incident last year that killed over 150 fish near a wastewater treatment plant in Co Cavan.

The case came after testing by Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI) confirmed that the water in the Ballinagh River next to the plant had 32 times the expected levels of ammonia, which they said was “toxic for fish.”

The incident was discovered when IFI was alerted to a fish kill on 19 July 2022 and water testing was carried out. Their results showed that the pollution was “direct discharge from an effluent pipe” at the plant.

In response to the verdict, handed down by Cavan District Court, Dr Milton Matthews of the IFI said: “Approximately 160 fish, predominantly brown trout, perished in this incident, and that number also included some stickleback and minnow.

Fish kill events such as these are extreme ecological events.

“They can have a severe and prolonged impact on native fish stocks due to the loss of locally- adapted, genetically-distinct, fish populations, which may take many years to recover.”

Matthews said IFI will engage with Uisce Éireann going forward to “ensure that regular visual inspections of wastewater facilities and discharge points are conducted to minimise the risk of such pollution events reoccurring.”

Repeat incidents

It is the third time since 2015 that Uisce Éireann has been prosecuted for water around the plant. In 2018, IFI found untreated sewage and sewage effluent was pumped into the river, killing over 600 fish and damaging young trout breeding grounds.

This incident led to two fines of €3,000 and €4,000 and an apology from the company.

And in 2016, the state body was prosecuted for another effluent discharge into the same river, and fined €2,500.

In a statement on the most recent prosecution, Uisce Éireann said it “regrets” the event and has “implemented a number of measures to prevent this incident reoccurring”.

“It is acknowledged that long term investment in the Ballinagh agglomeration is required and, to that end, the Ballinagh Plant is being advanced under the Uisce Éireann Small Towns and Villages Growth Programme.”

“We are committed to enabling communities to thrive by continuously upgrading and developing critical infrastructure to support sustainable growth and development, providing safe drinking water, and enhancing the environment.”

A similar statement was issued in 2016, with the company then committing to “a number of improvements to the municipal waste water treatment plant at Ballinagh,” which included the construction of storm retention facilities, improving the filter stream and increased maintenance.