Fylde sewage leak: Threat of fine might focus minds, campaigner says

Blackpool's council leader urged people to still visit the resort, but added they should not "have a paddle right now"

The threat of fining a water firm responsible for a ruptured pipe which is leaking sewage into the sea might "focus a few minds", a campaigner said.

People have been advised not to swim off Lancashire's Fylde coast after a leak at a United Utilities (UU) treatment centre began on 13 June.

Environmentalist Feargal Sharkey said so far, UU's efforts to stop the leak had not been good enough.

UU said it was working "extremely hard" to resolve the issue.

The firm said a 1.2 mile (2km) bypass pipe had been constructed and engineers would be working over the next 48 hours to "push the plant back to capacity".

About 100 tankers a day have been used to take sewage away from sites in the area.

The Environment Agency has said weather conditions over the past 10 days, which have included thunderstorms, led to a treatment centre with a ruptured pipe becoming overwhelmed.

A representative said it was "working closely" with UU to "minimise the impacts to people and the environment, which is our priority".

They said polluting seas and rivers was "unacceptable and we are carrying out a detailed investigation into this incident".

"We take tough action against those who pollute and will take appropriate enforcement action, as required."

Mr Sharkey told BBC Radio 4 UU was "by far and away the country's largest dumper of sewage" and the government should consider an enforcement order, which would give it the power to fine the company up to 10% of its turnover.

He added that the coast "from Cumbria all the way through to Cornwall, round Kent and all the way to Berwick-on-Tweed" was "flagged with sewage being dumped on to our beaches".

The BBC has contacted the government for a response.

Mark Garth, UU's director of water waste treatment, said the incident near Blackpool was "coming to close".

"As of the early hours of this morning, we have passed the first flow down the bypass... and will be working over the next 48 hours to push the plant back to full capacity," he said.

He said "intense storms" had led to the failure of an overflow system after the pipe had "burst".

A bypass system has been installed near the centre to try and fix the issue

Blackpool Council leader Lynn Williams said the "incredibly disappointing" situation was "really worrying" and the government should "hold United Utilities to account".

"It's an appalling state of affairs," she said.

"People are fed up with this. There needs to legally-binding targets."

She added that people should still come to Blackpool, but should not "have a paddle right now".

Mr Garth rejected Mr Sharkey's suggestion that shareholder dividends should have been invested in upgrading the sewage system and said the firm had invested £20bn in the last 30 years into the system around Fylde which, "prior to the 1990s, used to get discharged directly into the sea as crude sewage".

He added an investigation into the cause of the fractured pipe had begun.

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