We use some essential cookies to make this website work.
We’d like to set additional cookies to understand how you use GOV.UK, remember your settings and improve government services.
We also use cookies set by other sites to help us deliver content from their services.
You have accepted additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
You have rejected additional cookies. You can change your cookie settings at any time.
Departments, agencies and public bodies
News stories, speeches, letters and notices
Detailed guidance, regulations and rules
Reports, analysis and official statistics
Consultations and strategy
Data, Freedom of Information releases and corporate reports
When you need an environmental permit to discharge liquid effluent or waste water to surface water or the ground, and how to apply.
General binding rules for small sewage discharges from septic tanks or sewage treatment plants in England.
This guidance sets out the statutory general binding rules which will…
How the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales complete the annual Environmental Performance Assessment (EPA) of water and sewerage companies in England and Wales.
We, the Environment Agency and Natural Resources Wales, introduced the…
For data collected from 1 January 2026 onwards live reporting of the total…
Water and sewerage company performance for each metric is given a red,…
4.1 Ratings background A star rating system has been part of the…
This methodology (section 2) sets out the Environmental Performance…
6.1 Annual report publication The Environment Agency publishes the…
7.1 Abstraction and impounding licence compliance – shadow metric for…
8.1 Ongoing performance reporting role Water and sewerage companies should…
How to comply with your permit, including maintenance, record keeping and pollution reporting requirements.
Check open environmental data and use it in your own applications.
When you need a consent or permit to make a discharge from your reservoir and how to carry out a risk assessment.
This document explains and gives guidance on issues which are likely to arise from the regulations on private sewers transfer.
Environment Agency regulatory position on when you can temporarily discharge water intended for drinking water supply to surface waters from water treatment works and water supply assets.
How water companies in England and Wales can comply with the statutory requirement for preparing and publishing PIRPs and Implementation Reports.
Environment Agency regulatory position on unpermitted discharges from water and sewerage company (WaSC) sewerage networks due to groundwater infiltration into sewers.
Assessing the discharge of sanitary and other pollutants to surface waters.
Find out the compliance limits for waste water treatment works (WWTW), and how to treat and monitor discharges to meet permit conditions.
Water companies in England and Wales can use this service to submit an incident action plan for a dry day spill to the Environment Agency.
How businesses in England can manage septic tank sludges and other wastes from non-mains domestic sewage systems.
The water industry is producing strategic drainage and wastewater plans to maintain, improve, and extend robust and resilient drainage and wastewater systems.
The laboratory provides diagnostic microbiological testing for the examination of food, water and environmental samples.
How the Environment Agency will respond to planning consultations that include activities we permit under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 (EPR).
Environment Agency regulatory position on wetlands, operated by parties other than water and sewerage companies, that receive treated final effluent discharge.
Appeal to the Environment Agency if you have been refused connection to the public sewer.
The Environment Agency has issued this guideline to water undertakers that are wholly or mainly in England.
Don’t include personal or financial information like your National Insurance number or credit card details.
To help us improve GOV.UK, we’d like to know more about your visit today. Please fill in this survey (opens in a new tab and requires JavaScript).