Planning ahead will reduce the likelihood of causing pollution (and therefore the risk of being prosecuted).
Summary
Pollution can occur at any stage of a development, so it's essential you plan ahead from the outset.
Measures to prevent pollution are usually very simple and only require that you plan ahead. They can save you wastage and reduce the risk of you being prosecuted. But if pollution prevention measures are to work, managers must be committed and employees must be trained.
When you are considering a site, talk to the sewerage company (usually the local water company) to ensure that there will be adequate sewerage and sewage treatment capacity available to treat the wastewater from your development. Industrial developments pose particular risks during their operation and will need careful planning to build in appropriate pollution control measures. Where groundwater is vulnerable we may prohibit or control activities that pose an unacceptable risk of pollution. For example, we may limit or not allow landfilling or discharges to land or soakaways.
Construction poses the largest risk
The biggest risk of pollution often occurs during construction, particularly from the following activities:
- dewatering;
- digging foundations;
- moving contaminated soil;
- drainage misconnections;
- discharges to rivers, streams or the ground;
- runoff from construction materials and/or exposed ground;
- wheel washings;
- oil or chemical spills.
Most pollution incidents can be prevented with simple and cheap housekeeping techniques. Before construction starts, read our guidance notes and plan how you will control these activities to prevent pollution and avoid being prosecuted.
Talk to the local Environment Agency office to make sure you have all the necessary permissions and consents before work starts. Even if you don’t need our formal consent, it is still your responsibility to comply with all environmental legislation and ensure that the activities on your site do not cause pollution.
Take steps to prevent pollution
The basic measures you should take to prevent causing pollution are:
- prepare a drainage plan and mark the manholes to prevent pollutants accidently reaching the surface water sewers;
- carry out any activities that could cause pollution in a designated, bunded area, away from rivers or boreholes. Where possible it should drain to the foul sewer;
- use settlement ponds to remove silty water;
- store all oils and chemicals in a fully bunded area to prevent leaks or spills;
- get advice on whether you need an environmental permit and apply in good time. This must be before construction begins. For more information please visit the following web page:
- Discharges to surface water and groundwater
Sustainable drainage
You can help protect water quality during the lifetime of your development by using sustainable drainage systems (otherwise known as SUDS). These will allow you to reduce surface water run-off and pollution and put less strain on the sewerage system. To be effective they need to be managed and maintained throughout the lifetime of the development.
If pollution has been caused on your site, you must contact us immediately on our 24-hour incident hotline 0800 80 70 60.
