Campaigners from Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) have claimed a significant victory for the marine environment today after South West Water was fined £15,000 and £1350 costs at Camborne Courts for a pollution incident where poorly treated sewage effluent was discharged at the North Cliffs.

Earlier in the day SAS had campaigned outside Camborne Magistrates Court urging courts to get tough on environmental fines after years where fines had been little more than 'loose change' to big water companies. 25kg of 'peanuts' were dropped by campaigners at the court entrance to highlight how courts had been too lenient in the past over environmental fines.

This was the first court appearance of the year for the water company, who for the last two years have had the worst record amongst their industry for pollution incidents and failures to meet discharge consents.

Last year's average fine for South West Water was only £4000 per pollution incident - the bar has now been raised significantly and SAS hope this will serve as an incentive to the company to improve its environmental performance.

Richard Hardy, SAS Campaigns Director says: "The courts have done justice to the environment today. We hope today's decision will spur on the company to improve its overall performance and to ensure clean and safe seas remain at the core of its future investment".

For more information please contact Richard Hardy on Tel: 0845 4583001 or 07711 767548.

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