Water pollution

Water pollution is the contamination of streams, lakes, underground water or the sea by substances harmful to living things. Pollutants can be chemical, biological or physical materials that degrade water quality and result from many human activities.

The Environment Agency is the environmental regulator for water and is responsible for maintaining or improving the quality of fresh, marine, surface and underground water in England and Wales. Its aim is to prevent or reduce the risk of water pollution wherever possible and to ensure that pollution that might affect ecosystems or people is cleaned up. In addition, the Water Resources Act 1963 places a duty on it to secure the proper use of water resources in England and Wales.

The Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) is responsible for assessing the quality of drinking water in England and Wales, taking enforcement action if standards are not being met and appropriate action when water is unfit for human consumption. The Environmental Health Service also undertakes periodic sampling of mains water supplies.

Most water pollution incidents need to be reported to the Environment Agency although the Environmental Health Service also have responsibility for dealing with certain types of water pollution such as discharges from cess pools or septic tanks that cause a risk to health or a nuisance.

We also have a responsibility to enforce controls over emissions to water from certain classes of industrial premises.