The groundwater directives aim to protect groundwater from pollution.
The existing Groundwater Directive (80/68/EEC) aims to protect groundwater from pollution by controlling discharges and disposals of certain dangerous substances to groundwater. In the UK, the directive is implemented through the Environmental Permitting Regulations (EPR) 2010.
We protect groundwater under these regulations by preventing or limiting the inputs of polluting substances into groundwater. Substances controlled under these regulations fall into two categories:
- Hazardous substances are the most toxic and must be prevented from entering groundwater. Substances in this list may be disposed of to the ground, under a permit, but must not reach groundwater. They include pesticides, sheep dip, solvents, hydrocarbons, mercury, cadmium and cyanide. Hazardous substances replace the previous List 1 substances which came under the 1998 Groundwater Regulations (GWR).
- Non-hazardous pollutants are less dangerous, and can be discharged to groundwater under a permit, but must not cause pollution. Examples include sewage, trade effluent and most wastes. Non-hazardous pollutants include any substance capable of causing pollution and the list is much wider than the previous List 2 substances. For example, nitrate is included as a pollutant but it was excluded from List 2 in the 1998 GWR.
Further information on the work of the Joint Agencies Groundwater Directive Advisory Group (JAGDAG), including the list of substances considered to be hazardous, can be found on the JAGDAG website. Note however, this list only gives confirmation of the status of the specific substances that have been considered by JAGDAG - an individual substance that is not listed may still be hazardous, if it were to be assessed. Please complete and submit the form on the JAGDAG website, should you wish a substance to be considered.
Substance determinations made by JAGDAG undergo public consultation prior to final agreement of the determination. The timescales between raising the substance with JAGDAG and subsequent determination and stakeholder consultation can be a number of months. It is recognised that if a determination for a substance is requested, there may be an urgent need for an interim position by the Environment Agency. We have written a list of interim determinations (Excel, 19KB) and these will inform our decisions until such time that JAGDAG has undertaken a substance determination.
The existing Groundwater Directive is to be repealed by the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC (WFD) in 2013.
If you handle, store or dispose of listed substances, which include agrochemicals, solvents, hydrocarbon-based fuels and other chemicals, these regulations apply to you.
We use our powers for groundwater protection through the permitting process and by advising on statutory pollution prevention.
Further information
