Southern Water has been fined £24,000 after an investigation found it had not met environmental standards in part of its treatment works.

The company will pay more than £57,000 overall after being order to pay costs of £33,218 after the case was brought by the Environment Agency.

It found its Tunbridge Wells North Waste Water Treatment Works had exceeded permitted levels of discharge into the Somerhill Stream in the town in the year to July 2014.

Southern Water – which covers large areas of southern, central and north Kent – pleaded guilty to the charges, stating it had already spent £360,000 improving the treatment works.

Another £6 million of investment is planned in the future.

Environment Agency environment manager David Willis said: “We take these incidents very seriously and do everything within our powers to safeguard the environment and people that may be affected.

“We expect companies to take all necessary actions to comply with the conditions set out in Environmental Permits and welcome Southern Water’s commitment to spend a further £6m on planned improvement works”.