A Co Tyrone farmer pleaded guilty and was fined £300 plus court costs of £22 at Omagh Magistrates Court today.
Mr Malcolm Cathers, of Curr Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
On 8 July 2011, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, inspected a tributary of the Routing Burn at Curr Road, Omagh and observed widespread fungal growth in the waterway. A discharge was observed emanating from a concrete pipe which was dark in colour and had the odour of agricultural effluent. Over 2 kilometres of waterway was affected by the discharge. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a farm owned by Mr Cathers.
A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.
Notes to editors:
1. Mr Cathers was charged under Article 7 (1) (a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 with the offence of making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9025 6058 or out of office hours,contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Mr Malcolm Cathers, of Curr Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, was fined for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
On 8 July 2011, a Water Quality Inspector, acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, inspected a tributary of the Routing Burn at Curr Road, Omagh and observed widespread fungal growth in the waterway. A discharge was observed emanating from a concrete pipe which was dark in colour and had the odour of agricultural effluent. Over 2 kilometres of waterway was affected by the discharge. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to a farm owned by Mr Cathers.
A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.
Notes to editors:
1. Mr Cathers was charged under Article 7 (1) (a) of the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 with the offence of making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
2. For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9025 6058 or out of office hours,contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Story by DOENI
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