Enzo’s Homes has been fined £20,000 for polluting the Dowlais Brook, a tributary of the River Llwyd in Cwmbran, Wales.
Natural Resources Wales (NRW) officers discovered illegal water discharge activities at Enzo’s Homes site in Abbey Woods, off Malthouse Lane in Llantarnam, between December 2022 and March 2023.
Inspections found that the pollution was caused by water run-off from the site, which had been contaminated with silt.
NRW officers met with site managers from Enzo’s Homes on multiple occasions to discuss the necessary mitigation measures needed to minimise the risk of pollution.
They also raised concerns with Enzo’s staff regarding the silt fences on site and their ability to cope with heavy rain, and issued the housebuilder with a warning letter.
However, when NRW officers visited the site on 12 January 2023, they found that overnight rainfall had completely overwhelmed the mitigation measures in place.
During subsequent visits, although it was noted that some attempts had been made to improve the mitigation measures, concerns remained regarding the large build-up of silt behind the fences and that the measures would not cope with further rainfall.
A clear message to the construction industry
Water samples obtained and analysed by NRW officers in January 2023 revealed high levels of suspended solids – small solid particles which remain in suspension in water – in the small watercourse adjacent to the building site.
Silt can harm fish and other invertebrates, clogging their gills and reducing light penetration in the water.
Enzo’s Homes Limited pleaded guilty to causing an illegal water discharge activity under the Environmental Permitting Regulations and was fined £20,000. It was also ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and NRW costs of £7,389.42.
Alastair Krzyzosiak, environment officer for NRW, said: “The construction industry has a duty of care to the communities in which they operate, to ensure the correct controls and safeguards are in place in order to prevent incidents such as these occurring.
“If construction companies plan properly, even during periods of very heavy rain, there should be no ecological impact.
“I hope this fine will send out a clear message that environmental legislation is to be taken seriously. We will not hesitate to take appropriate action against those who disregard regulations and jeopardise the natural environment we all know and love.”
