Over 200 rivers polluted in North
Over 200 rivers in the North are officially classified as ’polluted’ it was revealed today.
Many of the waters have recently failed both chemical and biological tests conducted by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA).
Despite that, the Department of Environment said “The water environment, as far as this department is concerned, is in safe hands”.
Despite the attempt at reassurance, an MLA demanded the agency get tough with the polluters and act before it is too late.
The disturbing extent of river pollution was detailed by Environment Minister Sammy Wilson in a written answer to SDLP MLA Tommy Burns.
On an A-F classification band anything from C downwards is considered to be below standard.
The Crawfordsburn River at the popular Co Down country park, came away with a D on the biological test and a C on the chemical test.
Similarly the Connswater River at the Con O’Neill Bridge sample point was graded with an E on the biological test.
The River Lagan failed tests at numerous sample points.
Some 66 rivers also failed to meet the quality criteria outlined under the EU Freshwater Fish Directive with regard to supporting fish life.
They included the Upper and Lower Bann at numerous points, the Erne River in Enniskillen and the Silent Valley Reservoir -half way along the dam wall.
Mr Burns said: “I was filled with dismay when I read the list and was very shocked at some of the names on it.”
The South Antrim MLA added: “The famous ones stand out, of course, but at a local level I also see many rivers in my constituency and the surrounding area which are being polluted with alarming regularity.”
When he heard about pollution in the Glenavy River, the Stoneyford River and Six Mile Water again and again, it made him very angry, he said.
“I also note with interest that the data does not seem to include samples taken from the Six Mile water after recent devastating fish kills.
“I suspect the problem is even worse than these figures suggest and this will be revealed in due course when more recent data becomes available,” said Mr Burns.
He said the details confirmed his suspicions that in the past polluters had felt they could get away with anything. He demanded the minister and Environment Agency clamp down hard on the offenders, get them into court and hit them with big fines and jail sentences.
“Warning letters and other soft options don’t work. The minister himself has identified 356 individual organisations that have been caught repeatedly polluting rivers on no less than 1,610 occasions collectively, so he must see this.”
The SDLP member added: “We must act before it is too late. The wanton disregard for the environment is clearly doing long term damage and it should not be tolerated.”
The DOE insisted it was not soft on polluters and had a better record than its counterparts in the rest of the UK.
“There is a perception in some quarters that Northern Ireland lags behind other countries in the vigour with which polluters are prosecuted or pursued.
“Between 2001 and 2005 a prosecution is 16 times more likely in relation to a pollution incident in Northern Ireland than in Scotland and four times more likely than England and Wales.”
It said 62 cases had been recommended for enforcement action in 2007 and 93 cases were being considered so far this year.
However the department pointed out it only collected the necessary evidence and prepared a file for the Public Prosecution Service to decide on a prosecution - and it was the courts that decided on the level of penalty for the guilty.
