A water company pleaded guilty to polluting a stream with sewage at Saundersfoot in a prosecution at Haverfordwest magistrates court last week.
Dwr Cymru Cyf, who trade as Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, were fined £2,000 for causing polluting matter to enter controlled waters, an offence contrary to Section 85(1) of the Water Resources Act 1991. They were also ordered to pay £660 towards the legal costs of Environment Agency Wales who brought the prosecution.
Further costs of £1,391 will be sought under the provisions of Section 161 of the Water Resources Act 1991, for costs incurred in alleviating pollution during the incident.
The court was told that on August 14 kast year, in response to a report from a member of the public an agency officer inspected the Saundersfoot stream at the Regency Hall Car Park. He found it to be fawn in colour and opaque enough to obscure the stream bed.
Further investigation established that the source of the pollution was a break in the rising main foul sewer pipe which conveys sewage from the Saundersfoot East Sewage Pumping Station at Brooklands Place to a relay pumping station approximately a kilometre away.
Liquid sewage effluent was upwelling at Brooklands Place and flowing along the footpath before entering an area of woodland from which it entered the Saundersfoot stream via a surface water outfall. The polluted stream then flowed into the impoundment basin at Saundersfoot Harbour.
Fortunately, the basin sluice gates were closed at the time and contained the vast majority of the effluent, preventing it from contaminating the beach and a nearby European community designated bathing water. It was a very hot and sunny day and there were hundreds of holidaymakers on the beach.
Samples were taken at the discharge point and further downstream which on analysis confirmed the pollution.
The agency was joined by officers from the public protection division of Pembrokeshire County Council, who attended in relation to the health risk posed by the sewage.
Saundersfoot Harbour Commissioners were also on hand to provide advice.
Investigations by Dwr Cymru Welsh Water suggested that shifting geological conditions which caused the pipe to shear rather than any defect in the pipe itself were the cause of the break.
The court was told that following the incident, consideration was being given to replacing the existing cast iron pipe with an alternative which would not eliminate the possibility of further incidents but would reduce the risk.
Following the case, an agency spokesperson said: "We plan to review the incident with Dwr Cymru Welsh Water, the local authority and the other bodies that were involved. It is intended that future incidents involving bathing waters during the bathing season will benefit from any lessons leant from the review."
• Anyone who sees pollution, illegal tipping of waste, poaching, fish in distress or danger to the natural environment can contact the agency's emergency hotline on 0800 80 70 60. The hotline operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, calls are free and will be treated in the strictest confidence.