 The firm admitted breaching its licence |
Severn Trent has been fined �4,000 for taking too much water from boreholes in Worcestershire which share supplies with a protected brook. The firm admitted exceeding the amount it is allowed to take in Chaddesley Corbett than permitted by its abstraction licence.
The boreholes are close to the source of Elmley Brook which contains sensitive and indigenous fish.
The company is allowed to take 1.5m gallons of water per day.
The prosecution was brought by the Environment Agency who said that on a number of occasions in recent years, Severn Trent had "'over abstracted".
Magistrates in Kidderminster also ordered the firm to pay �1,420 in costs.
The brook is designated as a special wildlife site because it is home to a type of catfish and rare brown trout.
Mark Scoggins, representing Severn Trent Water, said that the over-abstractions occurred due to a fault in an alarm and now a new system is in place to ensure it does not happen again.
Lesley Worby, an Environment Agency officer who was involved in the investigation said: "The supply of water is limited.
"We make sure that it is managed and used effectively to supply both public needs and the needs of the environment.
"We are pleased that the court supported us in protecting the local environment."
Severn Trent is the world's fourth-largest privately-owned water company and supplies the West and East Midlands and mid-Wales.
One-Minute World News 
News services
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
We are pleased that the court supported us in protecting the local environment
