Company fined over reservoir safety failures near Belmont

A company owning a Lancashire reservoir has been mandated to pay over £5,000 following findings that it failed safety inspections and endangered nearby residents. Blue Lagoon Heritage Limited, located in Bromsgrove, acknowledged its failure to adhere to an issued enforcement notice. The court was informed that the Environment Agency served a notice to the company in May 2021, requiring it to implement safety measures at Ward’s Reservoir, situated near the village of Belmont in east Lancashire, under the guidance of a qualified civil engineer. However, by October 2021, the company had not completed the specified work, prompting the watchdog to commence weekly safety checks. The Environment Agency reported its intervention in June 2022 to safeguard public safety. This involved commissioning contractors to inspect and clear the outlet valve. This action, the agency stated, allowed the reservoir’s levels to be managed and maintained at 5.25m (17.22ft) below the maximum top water level, significantly reducing the risk of its failure. Karl Hunter, from the watchdog’s national reservoir safety team, stated that the firm had disregarded repeated warnings from experts, which “caused unacceptable risks to local residents and businesses in the village of Belmont and surrounding areas downstream of the reservoir”. At Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court, Blue Lagoon Heritage Limited was ordered to pay fines and costs amounting to £5,445. Essential maintenance and construction works were also mandated. The Environment Agency regulates the owners of all large raised reservoirs under the Reservoirs Act 1975. This act requires owners to ensure their reservoirs are maintained in full compliance with safety recommendations, which are periodically established by independent reservoir engineers. Blue Lagoon Heritage Limited acquired ownership of Ward’s Reservoir in 2019. Information regarding BBC Radio Lancashire content, including access via Sounds and social media platforms Facebook, X, and Instagram, is available. Submissions for story ideas can be sent to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. Copyright for this material is held by BBC, 2024, with all rights reserved. The BBC states it is not accountable for the content of external sites and outlines its policy on external linking.