Irish Water fined €500 for pollution

Irish Water has been fined €500 and ordered to pay €5,300 in costs after being convicted of causing pollution to a river in Co Monaghan.

The company was prosecuted by Inland Fisheries Ireland for allowing aluminium sulphate, described as a highly toxic substance, into the stream near the village of Threemilehouse, a few miles from Monaghan Town, causing discolouration of the water and the death of fish stock.

Judge Sean MacBride was told at Monaghan District Court that an Inland Fisheries officer detected the pollution on April 28. It emerged the seepage resulted from a leak at a water treatment plant in the area.