06/06/2005 - Red diesel
polluted a brook for approximately 10 kilometres
after it leaked from a storage tank at meat
company Bowes of Norfolk in Watton, Thetford.
The Watton Wick Brook and Watton Brook were
affected for over a week and oil was still
evident near to the company’s premises three
weeks later.
Today (Mon) Bowes was fined £1,000
and ordered to pay £1,967 by Thetford
magistrates after they pleaded guilty to
causing poisonous, noxious or polluting
matter namely red diesel to enter controlled
waters, namely Watton Wick Brook a tributary
of Watton Brook at Watton, Norfolk on or
about 21 March 2004, contrary to s85(1)
Water Resources Act 1991.
The pollution was spotted by at least five
people downstream of Bowes factory who all
alerted the Environment Agency as the water
had an oily rainbow film and had a strong
smell. The Watton Wick Brook adjacent to
the factory was red in colour.
Anglian Water Services Ltd closed its drinking
water abstraction point from the River Wissey
at Stoke Ferry as a precautionary measure
for seven days and the Food Standards Agency
and livestock farmers in the area were contacted.
The Ministry of Defence, a major landowner
in the area, asked for extra oil absorbent
booms to be placed in the water where the
Watton Brook flows through its training
ground.
Magistrates were told the pollution was
caused by a sight gauge pipe on a 17,300
litre oil storage tank becoming detached
at one end and leaking the diesel in the
tank onto the ground.
The diesel entered an old French drain
near the oil storage facility and then went
into a surface water sewer which discharged
into the Watton Wick Brook next to the company’s
premises.
Despite an Environment Agency officer and
staff from the company putting down oil
absorbent booms and pads to stop the oil
spreading, it still travelled for ten kilometres
downstream causing a significant impact
on the aquatic environment.
After the hearing, Environment Officer
Eileen Daly said: ‘The outcome of today’s
case highlights the need for firms to be
careful how they store oil at their premises
and aware of their responsibility to ensure
that oil cannot escape into the environment.
‘Oil can cause a lot of harm to the environment
and can be very costly to clear up. This
very serious pollution could have been avoided
if an inexpensive cut-off valve had been
fitted to the tank’s sight gauge pipe and
if it had been properly supported.’
Since September 2003 existing oil stores
of 200-l or more that are located within
10 metres of a watercourse or 50 metres
of a borehole have had to comply with the
‘The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage)(England)
Regulations 2001’. The regulations require
effective bunding to be provided and above
ground pipework to be properly supported.
Many oil storage tanks already have to
comply with the regulations, with the remainder
having to comply by 1 September this year.
Failure to do so could result in an enforcement
notice being issued which, if not complied
with, could result in prosecution.
Guidance on the best practice for oil storage
can be found on the Agency’s website at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/oilcare
