Water & Wastewater Treatment

www.wwtonline.co.uk | WWT | APRIL 2014 | 5 Polluters pay Sentencing guideline will hit utilities Water companies convicted of sewage discharge offences will be affected by new guidelines published by the Sentencing Council (SC). The SC says the guideline was necessary because magistrates were unfamiliar with sen- tencing offences relating to waste. Fines for organisations, which range from £100 to £3M, are expected to reflect turnover values in a move that aims to send a message to organisa- tions and their shareholders. The guideline also includes the of- fence of passing injurious matter into the public sewers, which should ensure appropriate sentencing when water companies bring prosecutions against those abusing their networks. Neil Dhot of utility trade body Water UK said, "It is likely that this is going to be a step change compared to what has gone before." The guideline will be used in courts from 1 July 2014. Company falls fowl of FOG law Poultry processing company Makentie has been fined by Warrington Magis- trates for pouring away fats, oils and greases (FOG) that could have blocked sewers and caused flooding. The case on 5 March was brought by United Utilities a er the water company's staff carried out investigations near the firm's base in Golborne. The Makentie plant pleaded guilty to three breaches of the Water Industry Act 1991. It was fined £6,500, and ordered to pay £5,523 costs. Tank misuse lands Welsh with fine Incorrect use of stormwater tanks has landed Dwr Cymru Welsh Water (DCWW) with a £15,000 fine a er the utility admitting breaching a permit. Higher than permitted levels of sewage entered the River Clywedog following the breach at Five Fords wastewater treatment plant, the court in Wrexham heard. DCWW has since invested £25M at the Wrexham works. Affinity and SWW accept Ofwat guidance ● SWW prices could fall by 13% Untreated wastewater still an issue for Ireland Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency's latest urban wastewater report has revealed that wastewaters from towns and villages in the counties of Cork, Done- gal, Wicklow, Galway, Clare, Mayo, Waterford, Wexford and in Dublin are still being discharged either untreated South West Water (SWW) and Affinity Water moved closer to fast-track approval by accept- ing Ofwat's guidance on risk and reward on 17 March. The move follows both companies topping the regulator's pre- qualification tests earlier last month. SWW presented Ofwat with updated plans that could see average prices falling by 13% in real terms by 2020. The company had already con- firmed a price freeze on its standard tariff and standing charges to April 2015 and pre- viously proposed to keep aver- age bill rises below inflation to 2020. In addition, bills already include a £50 annual reduc- tion from government to 2020. Ofwat's decision to pre- qualify Affinity Water and South West Water (SWW) for a fast-tracked price determina- tion will be credit positive for Affinity, according to Moody's Investors Service. Moody's said that if Affinity accepts Of- wat's return guidance and is fast-tracked, it will not only re- ceive an early dra– determina- tion, it will also earn an initial financial reward, amounting to around 0.4% of its average VOX POP "Catchment management should be better incentivised through the Common Agricultural Policy and the private sector should be encouraged to contribute voluntarily or made to through business rates" Nicole Shamier, Ricardo-AEA "The Milton Keynes:Smart project will show how the world-leading water management expertise we have developed at HR Wallingford can be integrated with big data analytics to develop new approaches to managing water and achieving sustainable growth" Valerie Bain HR Wallingford "Our business plan got a big thumbs- up from customers who helped to shape it, and it has been praised by the regulator" Chris Loughlin, South West Water or with minimal treatment into seas and rivers. The EPA found that wastewaters from a number of sites are receiv- ing only primary treatment. The report shows that 94% of wastewaters re- ceived some treatment, a 300% increase over the past 10 years, and that 69% of secondary treatment plants meet their main effluent standards, a 5% improve- ment on 2012. However vari- ous sites failed nutrient and sampling standards. wwtonline.com regulatory capital value over the next regulatory period. There will also be enhanced incentives for future outper- formance compared with companies that are not fast- tracked. Companies other than SWW and Affinity have to re-submit their plans along with further evidence that they are in customers' best interest. The companies will remain subject to additional regulatory scrutiny, and will not receive the financial re- ward or the higher incentive payments that the fast-tracked companies will receive. Ofwat's chief executive, Cathryn Ross said, "The chal- lenge Ofwat put to all water and wastewater companies was to understand their cus- tomers' needs and wants and reflect these in their business plans. Companies have risen to this challenge with a real change of approach." Chief regulation officer for Ofwat, Sonia Brown, added, "The plans submitted by SWW and Affinity Water stand out. These companies have achieved plans of par- ticularly high quality, with a consistent focus on listening and responding to what their customers want." wwtonline.com

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