A CONSERVATION charity based in the Eden Valley has received a contribution from two North Cumbrian farm businesses, to make amends for the unauthorised discharge of sewage into watercourses.
An unauthorised discharge was carried out at Temon Farm, Brampton in 2022, without the required environmental permit.
Owners of Temon Farm willingly undertook enforcement action for the incident, which saw slurry discharged into Poltross Burn, a tributary of the River Irthing.
Skirwith Abbey Limited has also willingly undertook enforcement action for an incident in 2020 which saw slurry enter the Aigill Sike watercourse "due to the failure to plan, apply and take reasonable precautions when spreading organic manure on land near Abbey Farm."
Skirwith Abbey Ltd. will make a contribution of £1,670 to Eden Rivers Trust as their enforcement undertaking, while Temon Farm will pay £5,000.
Both businesses will cover the Environment Agency's costs and undertake any action needed to redress any harm to the countryside.
Enforcement undertakings are taken-on voluntarily by individuals and organisations who are responsible for a pollution incident.
John Rattray, Head of Conservation Operations at Eden Rivers Trust said: "Enforcement undertakings can avoid long court cases, hold polluters accountable, and help prevent future environmental harm by directing funds toward repairing damage. However, while smaller businesses seem to be facing action, the larger water/sewerage companies remain unchallenged in the Eden, continuing to pollute our rivers and lakes thanks to long-term lack of investment in their infrastructure. Basically, the polluter should pay, and that should be all polluters."
United Utilities, the region's water company, has previously stated that it is "committed to driving down the number of times that storm overflows operate."
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Water companies are permitted to discharge wastewater into waterways during periods of heavy and persistent rainfall, preventing sewage systems from becoming overwhelmed.
United delivered a 31 per cent reduction in the number of hours sewage was discharged for in 2024, compared to the previous year.
Mr Rattray said: "The funding we have received will go to supporting officer time to advise the landowners affected but realistically, due to the sums involved, will provide little opportunity to make the required difference that is needed to bring our rivers back to an acceptable ecological state."
Recent investment in United's facilities in the Eden Valley will see a reduction in the level of phosphorus in treated water that is returned to the environment, yielding an improvement in water quality.
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