News & Articles
12-Feb-2010
Extreme weather conditions continued into January with widespread snow and ice causing frozen ground conditions. Despite the freezing weather precipitation across the UK’s major aquifers was high (in the range of 70 – 130%) and soil moisture deficits remained close to zero throughout the month. Recharge to major aquifers has been good during the early winter months and groundwater levels continue to rise as a result. Winter recharge totals are particularly good in the north-eastern and southern England and groundwater levels across the UK are close to average for this time of year. With soil moisture deficits still low the prospect of further winter recharge is good.
To read the latest hydrological summary for the UK please visit the Centre of Hydrology and Ecology’s (CEH) website. www.nwl.ac.uk/ih/nrfa/monthly_summaries/2010/01/summary.html
11-Feb-2010
DEFRA’s guidance on the Groundwater Regulations (2009) is now open to consultation. The guidance outlines how the Environment Agency will apply the new groundwater protection regulations and also covers the transition to licensing under the amended Environmental Permitting Regulations.
The Groundwater Regulations (2009) implement the Water Framework Directive’s (WFD) Groundwater Directive and replace the Groundwater Regulations (1998) which dealt with pollution prevention and groundwater protection.
In essence the new regulations only bring about small changes to existing procedures but there is a general shift away from prescriptive regulation towards risk-based assessment. List I and List II substances are re-named ‘hazardous substances’ and ‘non-hazardous pollutants’ respectively and definitions are more encompassing such that any substance may potentially be classed as a ‘non-hazardous pollutant’.
To read DEFRA’s guidance please visit
www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/groundwater/groundwater-consult-doc.pdf
07-Jan-2010
River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) produced by the UK environmental regulators have been approved by the government. The RBMPs have been written to address the requirements of the Water Framework Directive and outline measures to ensure water bodies, including groundwater bodies, achieve good ecological status. Environment Secretary Hilary Benn reported that £1 million would be given to the Environment Agency (England and Wales) to assist with their water quality investigations while funding to tackle agricultural water pollution would be increased by 50% to £7.5 million.
To read Defra’s news article about the RBMPs please visit http://nds.coi.gov.uk/content/Detail.aspx?ReleaseID=409833&NewsAreaID=2
07-Jan-2010
In collaboration with Thames Water, Yorkshire Water and Water UK, the Environment Agency has produced four reports which outline how the water industry can cut their carbon emissions whilst still meeting water quality targets set by the Water Framework Directive. Academic representatives who contributed to the third of the reports set out their vision of a low-carbon water industry by 2050 and call for Ofwat’s remit to extend to emission reductions as well as affordable water.
To find out more about the four reports please visit the EA website at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/research/library/publications/114393.aspx
23-Dec-2009
The Private Water Supply Regulations 2009 came into force on 1 January 2010 with the aim of ensuring that private water supplies in England meet the same drinking water standards as public water sources.
It is estimated that there are 42,000 private water supplies serving around 300,000 people in England. The new regulations specify high water quality standards, effective monitoring and risk assessment in a bid to reduce the risk of adverse health conditions resulting from contaminated water supplies. The improvements to the private water supplies are predicted to save the health industry, businesses and consumers up to £80 million.
To read the full article please visit
www.defra.gov.uk/news/2009/091223b.htm
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