We enforce the Reservoirs Act 1975, making us responsible as the enforcement authority for some 2,000 reservoirs in England and Wales. It is vital for public safety that dams that hold large volumes of water are constantly maintained.
Our position
The safety of reservoirs is extremely important. A dam or reservoir failure could cause catastrophic flooding, with serious consequences, including loss of life.
Although the responsibility for safety remains with the owners, enforcing this responsibility is an important role for us.
Our goal
Our goal is to apply the principles of better regulation to reservoirs by using an approach based on potential risk, focusing on achieving safety and environmental benefits.
We took over this responsibility on 1 October 2004. The Reservoirs Act 1975 currently applies to raised reservoirs holding over 25,000 cubic metres of water above natural ground level. The work is funded by:
- Grant in Aid from Defra (Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management);
- The Welsh Assembly Government.
Contacts
For more information contact:
- General Enquiries on Reservoir Safety: 08708 506 506
- Environment Agency Emergency Hotline: 0800 80 70 60
