Anglian Water will be prosecuted after a pollution incident near Whittlesey killed up to 1,000 fish.
The Environment Agency confirmed it had decided to bring a prosecution against Anglian Water Services Ltd over the Category 1 incident at King’s Dyke, Stanground, in September 2024.
Category 1 is the most serious classification for a pollution event. It happened between Stanground and Whittlesey and led to hundreds of fish dying, with numbers estimated at up to 1,000.
The enforcement decision was confirmed in a letter to North East Cambridgeshire MP Steve Barclay dated August 28.
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Environment Agency area director Sadia Moeed said the decision to prosecute had now been communicated to the water company.
Ms Moeed said: “Following the conclusion of our investigation I can now confirm that we have made the decision to prosecute Anglian Water Services Limited in relation to the pollution incident that occurred at King’s Dyke, Stanground in September 2024.”
The agency is now waiting for a date from the Magistrates’ Court. No timetable for the next stage can yet be confirmed because it is a matter for the court.
Ms Moeed said: “We are now awaiting a date from the Magistrates’ Court so I am unable to confirm timelines for the next stage as this is very much with the court.”
The Environment Agency said Anglian Water is due to be sentenced in several other matters at magistrates’ courts in Chelmsford, Lincoln and Great Yarmouth in the coming months.
Mr Barclay, who has repeatedly raised the case with the Environment Agency, ministers and in Parliament, said the prosecution decision was welcome news for residents in Whittlesey and surrounding area.
Mr Barclay said: “Next month will mark two years since the Category 1 pollution incident — the most serious level of pollution incident — which killed up to a thousand fish near Whittlesey.
“I have repeatedly questioned the Environment Agency about the lack of any prosecution of those responsible, including by raising the case in Parliament on multiple occasions and meeting with the Minister for Water, most recently just last month.”
“It is therefore welcome news for residents in Whittlesey and surrounding area that today the Environment Agency has issued an enforcement decision," he continued.
"This confirms that they will be prosecuting Anglian Water for this major pollution incident.”
Mr Barclay said he would meet the Environment Agency again in September and continue to update constituents as the case proceeds through the courts.
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