Northern Ireland Water (NIW) was fined a total of £1,250 plus court costs of £25 for making a polluting discharge to a waterway and for contravening the DOE's consent conditions.

On 14 May 2010, an officer from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) inspected the Burren River and observed it to be impacted with untreated sewage across the entire width of the waterway for a distance of approximately 800 metres.

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The Burren River is a tributary of the Shimna River and it was noted that this waterway was also impacted for approximately 50 metres. The source of the polluting discharge was traced to Burren River Sewage Pumping Station which is owned and operated by NIW.

The Burren and Shimna Rivers are high importance fishery and nursery habitats for salmon and sea trout. Both rivers flow through high amenity value public park areas in central Newcastle. Approximately 400 metres below the confluence with the Burren River, the Shimna River discharges onto Newcastle beach.

A sample taken at the time of the incident confirmed that the discharge contained poisonous, noxious or polluting matter which was potentially harmful to fish life in the receiving waterway.