Guidance

Groundwater activity exclusions from environmental permits

Find out if your groundwater discharges are extremely low risk so don’t need an environmental permit or exemption.

From:
Environment Agency
Published
14 March 2017
Last updated
5 August 2021 — See all updates

Documents

Groundwater activity exclusions from environmental permits

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Use this publication to find out about groundwater activity exclusions for:

  • accidents and natural causes
  • very minor discharges – also called ‘de minimis’
  • risks to human health or the environment
  • disproportionate cost for land contamination
Published 14 March 2017
Last updated 5 August 2021 + show all updates

  1. We have added exclusion 2.8 ‘Discharge onto ground of public water supply auto analyser waters’. If you meet the conditions in this exclusion you do not need a permit to carry out this activity.

  2. Added a new de minimis exclusion (section 2.7). It explains when you can discharge groundwater that meets drinking water quality standards onto ground.

  3. Changes to 'Very minor discharges exclusion – also called de minimis’ (section 2) to explain that you need to assess whether a ‘class of case’ exclusion applies.

  4. First published.

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