A Petworth based developer has been fined £700 and ordered to pay almost £9,000 in costs after illegally connecting new homes to the water mains without the consent of Southern Water.
The man pleaded guilty to two offences relating to the connection of homes in the Petworth area of West Sussex to the water supply network.
A spokesperson at Southern Water said: “Prosecutions by us are rare – either as a last resort in repeated offences or in especially serious cases. We are quite prepared to bring prosecutions when our water supply network might be compromised.
“Those who wish to connect to the water supply network must comply with Southern Water’s processes including giving notice which then enables inspection of pipework so as ensure compliance with water regulations. These are mandatory steps for the protection of public health. Steps taken to avoid such requirements are unacceptable.”
Illegal connections to the water supply network could cause other users to lose pressure or even worse could create a danger to public health.