On 13 August 2006, officers from the Environment Agency Wales were called out to an incident at the Pontsticill Water Treatment Works, near Merthyr Tydfil. Aluminium sulphate had leaked from a waste chemical storage tank and polluted a 5km stretch of the Taf Fechan killing over 23,000 fish.
The case was brought by Environment Agency Wales and both companies pleaded guilty to the charges of: causing polluting matter, namely aluminium sulphate, to enter controlled waters; and causing certain liquid or solid matter to flow into water and tributaries to such an extent as to cause poisoning and/or injury to fish or food of fish.
Fish kill costs water companies 40,000
WALES - Dwr Cymru Welsh Water and its contractor United Utilities have been ordered to pay more than 20,000 each after pleading guilty to polluting the Taf Fechan in Pontsticill, with approximately three tonnes of waste aluminium sulphate.