A COMPANY has been fined thousands of pounds after illegally using water hydrants.

CPJ Environmental Ltd was found guilty of using Severn Trent's hydrants and was fined £2926.08, including costs, at Worcester Magistrates Court yesterday (Thursday).

Severn Trent said it warned the company about the offence in 2014, but following repeated hydrant misuse it was forced to take action.

Speaking after the hearing, Dan Littlewood, senior water fittings technician at Severn Trent, said: “People that take water illegally from our hydrants don’t realise the massive impact it has on our customers.

"Our customers could have discoloured water or the hydrant could be damaged, meaning that the fire service cannot access water in an emergency, all because some people think they’re above the law.

"Not only can it cause problems with the supply, it’s also not fair that they’re getting it for free, when the rest of us have to pay."

Since the start of 2016, the Severn Trent has successfully prosecuted 13 companies, issued four formal warnings and sent out more than 50 warning letters to companies that have been caught illegally using its hydrants.

There are also a further 14 companies currently under investigation, and some of these investigations may lead to formal cautions or even criminal prosecutions.

"We’ve made it easier to spot those who are using our hydrants illegally," said Mr Littlewood.

"We’ve teamed up with Aquam Water Services so now all of our authorised standpipes are painted bright green and feature our Severn Trent logo and the Aquam logo.

"So if anyone see’s our hydrants being used illegally, please let us know."

Members of the public can report illegal hydrant use by emailing severntrentwater@waterservicesltd.com with details of when and where the incident took place and details of the vehicle involved. 

The Worcester News has contacted CPJ Environmental Ltd, which is based in Derbyshire, for a comment.