Southern Water on trial over Sussex sewage pollution

Beaches from Southwick to Ferring, near Worthing, were affected by the pollution incident

Southern Water has gone on trial over a pollution incident that left 10 miles of West Sussex beaches closed to the public for four days.

The water company has denied three charges of breaching environmental regulations after raw sewage was pumped into the sea in September 2012.

It blamed blocked pumps at its East Worthing wastewater treatment works.

At Chichester Crown Court, the prosecution said it believed there had been a problem at the site for months.

Jurors heard screens that should have been in place to prevent larger items of debris entering the station had been taken away for repair, which had led to a build-up of debris in the pumps, causing the failure.

A temporary screen had been put in place but it was not as effective, the court was told.

The prosecution said there were permits to allow discharge in an emergency but they did not apply because the failure was caused by many months without proper screening of sewage flowing into the treatment works, and it was not an unexpected emergency.

Beaches from Southwick to Ferring, near Worthing, were affected by the incident.

The case continues.