News & Articles

Standard permits issued under the Environmental Permitting Regulations to be revised

The Environment Agency is proposing changes to 15 standard permits issued under the Environmental Permitting (EP) Regulations. Standard permits are issued for activities that are considered to be lower risk and are covered by a generic risk assessment and a standard set of rules.

As part of the planned changes the discharge of enzyme treated sheep dip will no longer be permitted in specific Biodiviersity Action Plan habitats such as groundwater-fed water bodies. Other standard permits that are due to be changed include the licensing of mobile plants for the treatment of contaminated materials. The current standard permit will be extended to include groundwater ‘pump and treat’ operations.

Consultation on the proposed changes to the standard permits is open until 29 November 2010.

For more information please visit the Environment Agency web site http://consult.environment-agency.gov.uk/portal/ho/ep/src/5?tab=info

July brings wettest month of the year

While July was the wettest month of the year so far, the distribution of rainfall across the UK was uneven. Currently water-stressed areas of north-west England, western Scotland and north Wales received above average rainfall during July, while rainfall in southern and eastern England remained low. Groundwater levels tend to continue their seasonal recession but remain within their normal summer range. High soil moisture deficits across aquifer outcrop areas, particularly in the south and east, may delay winter recharge.

To read the full hydrological summary for July please visit the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology’s web site www.ceh.ac.uk/data/nrfa/water_watch.html

Permeable reactive barriers effective in the long-term

Researchers at a site near Belfast installed a zero-valent iron filing based permeable reactive barrier to remediate a site contaminated with trichloroethene (TCE). Recent testing has shown that after more than 10 years after the barrier was installed the technique is still working with groundwater being successfully treated although iron precipitation has occurred within the iron filings. Permeable reactive barriers are used as a remediation technique to clean groundwater contaminated with chlorinated solvents, they can remain in the ground for many years but until recently their effective life-span was untested.

To learn more about the research project please visit http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es902737t

North West anticipates hosepipe ban after water shortages

The driest start to the year since 1929 sees many reservoirs in the North West of England at under half capacity. This has forced United Utilities, the public water supplier for the region, to apply to the Environment Agency for drought permits to increase the amount of water it can remove from lakes and rivers to maintain essential supplies to customers. The majority of the water supplied in the region is from rivers, lakes and reservoirs, the levels of which can drop off quickly in dry weather. The North West is less reliant on groundwater resources (~15% of the water supply), which do not respond as much to short periods of low rainfall. Groundwater resources may be used to augment water supplies in the North West.

The Environment Agency who will help United Utilities manage any drought conditions has advised that the North West is an exception and water supplies in the remainder of England and Wales are not greatly affected.

To read the Environment Agency press release please visit
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/121005.aspx.

Groundwater supplies become crucial after dry spring

The lowest January to May rainfall total since 1964 has caused a steep decline in river flows and reservoir levels but groundwater resources may prevent significant water shortages. By the end of May, reservoir stocks were the lowest for the time of year since the 1991 drought and river levels approached seasonal lows in many impermeable catchments. In contrast groundwater levels followed their typical seasonal decline and remain within their normal range, largely as a result of significant recharge last autumn. If a dry summer follows the dry spring the importance of groundwater resources to buffer drought conditions will become evident.

To read the latest hydrological summary please visit the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology’s web site here
www.ceh.ac.uk/data/nrfa/water_watch.html

1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  Next Page