Farmer convicted for a polluting discharge to a waterway

farm
A County Derry farmer has been convicted for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
Mr William Steele from Liswatty Road, Coleraine pleaded guilty to the charge at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court.
A County Derry farmer has been convicted for making a polluting discharge to a waterway.
Mr William Steele from Liswatty Road, Coleraine pleaded guilty to the charge at Coleraine Magistrates’ Court.
On 10 February 2016, a Water Quality Inspector acting on behalf of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency, inspected a waterway at Ballyvelton Road, Coleraine and observed fungal growth in the waterway.
The source of the polluting discharge was traced to the farm owned by Mr Steele.
The Inspectors discovered silage effluent had entered a storm inspection chamber and from there it flowed to the waterway.
A dye test carried out on the same day demonstrated continuity between the storm chamber and the waterway. The waterway was impacted for a distance of some 1.6 kilometres.
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.
Mr. Steele was fined a total of £600 plus a £15 Offenders Levy.

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