Irish Water fined €19,500 over sewage pollution

Irish Water has been fined €19,500 for breaking environmental protection laws following the discovery of sewage pollution at four water treatment plants around the country.

The company, which was prosecuted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pleaded guilty at Dublin District Court to 11 charges, in four cases, under Waste Water Discharge (Authorisation). The prosecutions related to water treatment plants in Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Cork.

Irish Water had been prosecuted twice previously by the EPA and could have faced fines of up to €5,000 per charge.