LONDON, April 14 -- The government of the United Kingdom issued the following news:

Water voles and other wildlife in Somerset willbenefitfrom £300,000 thanks to enforcement action by the Environment Agency after a pollution incident.

The incident occurred when a backed-up Wessex Water sewer spilled into a tributary of the River Yeo in September 2022, killing dozens of fish.

Thefundswill beusedto supporthabitat improvement projectsin the area,including forendangeredwater voles.

The agreement is part of a record £8.5 million paid by water companies into environmental restoration projects across the country as part of a strengthened crackdown on pollution andpoor performanceacross the sector.

This compares to £5.8 million the year before, a 47% increase, and just under £2 million in the 2023/24financial year.

These payments follow a major increase in enforcement activity, including a record 10,000 inspections of water company sites and a significant rise in criminal investigations. More staff, better data, and increased powers mean the regulator can act faster when breaches occur and enable more targeted regulatory action.

The decline of water voles

Water voles are Britain's fastest disappearing mammal and areat increased risk due to habitat loss,pollutionand climate change.

There used to bean estimated600-700voles in the areaaroundYeovil, but now there isapproximately300-400.

Habitat changes caused bytheintensificationof agriculture, urbanisation, and climate change-driven floodinghave led to a decline in their numbersacrossSomerset.

Poor water quality with frequent pollution events is another factor which degrades habitatsuitablefor voles.

Yeovil Rivers Community Trust will use the money to create reedbeds, wetlands and pondsat YeovilCountry Park andlong Preston Brook.

This will help the voles byproviding safe space forthemto feed, breed and move about.

Theproject alsoseekstoidentifyother water vole populations so that a comprehensive record can be developed.

£300,000 enforcement agreement

A surging manhole caused by a backed-up sewer led to the pollution

In agreeing to the sanction, which is known as an enforcement undertaking and can be used as an alternative to a prosecution,Wessex Waterhave put in placerobust measures to reduce the likelihood of similar pollution incident happening again. 

This includedlining the foul sewer network in the area and the installation of monitoring equipment.

Enforcement undertakings allowfundsto go straight to investment where it is needed, rather than being spent on court costs.

The company will also cover the Environment Agency's investigation and enforcement costs of £6,668.

Dozens of fish killed

The pollution killed dozens of fish including bullhead and three-spined sticklebacks

During the incident in September 2022,a surgingmanholecaused by abacked-upsewer led to sewage flowing intoa tributary North ofMilbornePort which joins the River Yeo.

The pollution killed dozens of fish including bullhead and three-spined sticklebacks.

AnEnvironment Agency investigationidentifiedhigh levelsof ammonia and chloride.

Wessex Water made the offer followingtheinvestigation into the incident.

Environment Agency Environmental Crime Officer, Steven Federico, said:  

Water voles are incredible creatures who play an important part in creating a healthy wetland.

We are pleased that theinvestmentwill go towardssupporting these endangered creatures and improving water habitats in turn.

Lorne Thomson, Chair of Yeovil Rivers Community Trust, said:

This money will be used to support the Yeovil Rivers Community Trust's Water Vole Habitat Enhancement Program, which works to improve rivers,pondsand land habitats.

This includes projects such as the creation of bunds and reedbeds which increase the quality of habitats for a range of flora and fauna including water voles.

Background

What is an enforcement undertaking (EU)?  

An EU is available to the Environment Agency as an alternative sanction to prosecution or monetary penalty for dealing with certain environmental offences.  

It is a legally-binding voluntary agreement proposed by a business (or an individual) when the EA has reasonable grounds to suspect that an environmental offence has occurred.  

EUs for environmental offences were introduced under the Environmental Civil Sanctions (England) Order 2010 and the Environmental Civil Sanctions (Miscellaneous Amendments) (England) Regulations 2010.

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