Company prosecuted for failing to complete reservoir safety works
4 November 2024
A company has been prosecuted after failing to complete essential safety works on a reservoir in the Peak District.
United Utilities Water (UUW) was handed a £450,000 fine at Manchester Crown Court on 4 November 2024 after repeatedly failing to complete safety works on the Toddbrook Reservoir dam.
The dam was built around 1830 and is one of a group of reservoirs in the Longdendale chain that supplies water to 2.5 million homes across the north-west of England.
In 2013, the Environment Agency served an enforcement notice on UUW requiring it to complete the works by July 2016. The works, which were needed to ensure the safety of the dam, included constructing a new spillway and enlarging the valve tower.
However, UUW failed to complete the works by the deadline and was served with a further enforcement notice in July 2017. The works were eventually completed in February 2018, but the Environment Agency found that UUW had failed to comply with both enforcement notices.
In addition to the fine, UUW was ordered to pay costs of £34,397.
Sentencing UUW, Judge Richard Mansell QC said: “This was a serious breach of the enforcement notices which placed lives at risk. The defendant has a duty to ensure the safety of the dam and it failed to discharge that duty. The fine must reflect the seriousness of this case.”
Environment Agency prosecutor, Peter Cadman, said: “The defendant had a duty to ensure the safety of the Toddbrook Reservoir dam and it failed to discharge that duty. The works were essential to ensure the safety of the dam and the defendant’s failure to complete them on time placed lives at risk.
“We are pleased that UUW has now completed the works and we will continue to work with the company to ensure that the dam is safe.”
UUW said in a statement: “We are deeply sorry for the mistakes that were made in this case. We accept the court’s decision and we will pay the fine and costs in full.
“The safety of our reservoirs is our top priority and we have already taken steps to strengthen our procedures to ensure that we do not make similar mistakes in the future.”
Company prosecuted for failing to complete reservoir safety works
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