Home / Environment / Yorkshire Water Fined £2.35M for River Pollution
Yorkshire Water Fined £2.35M for River Pollution
16 Apr
Summary
- Yorkshire Water to pay £2.35m for seven pollution incidents.
- Funds will support environmental charities and habitat restoration.
- Company commits £1.5bn over five years for water improvements.
Yorkshire Water will pay £2.35 million to fund environmental improvements across the region, following seven unauthorized sewage incidents that occurred between 2019 and 2023. The Environment Agency (EA) secured enforcement undertakings, requiring the company to invest in preventing recurrence and rectifying damage.
The significant payout will be channeled to various environmental charities. Funds are allocated for improvements to nature reserves, the creation of wetland habitats, and the restoration of flood plains, directly benefiting local ecosystems.
Specific financial contributions include £500,000 to the Don Catchment Rivers Trust for incidents in Barnsley and Doncaster, £350,000 to Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust for a discharge into the River Ure, and £300,000 to Aire Rivers Trust for discharges into the River Aire from Leeds.
Further funding is directed to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Calder and Colne Rivers Trust for incidents impacting the River Calder and Cockleshaw Beck. Yorkshire Water has also undertaken remedial actions at each affected site and will cover the EA's investigation costs.
Jacqui Tootill from the EA highlighted that these undertakings allow companies to rectify issues and direct funds into environmental projects, delivering tangible benefits for people and wildlife. A Yorkshire Water spokesperson affirmed the company's commitment to taking responsibility and cooperating with investigations to make improvements.
