Works notices
In
England, Wales and Scotland, your environmental regulator has the power to serve a works notice on you to prevent or remedy water pollution. Such notices can be served before pollution has occurred if, in the opinion of the environmental regulator, a polluting substance is likely to enter surface waters or groundwater. Your environmental regulator may also serve a works notice to ensure that waters are cleaned up after pollution has occurred.
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) has the power to serve a number of notices on you to prevent or remedy water pollution. Notices can be served before pollution has occurred if, in the opinion of the regulator, a polluting substance is likely to enter surface waters or groundwater. NIEA may also serve notice where it is of the opinion that conditions of a discharge consent are contravened and a further notice to ensure that waters are cleaned up after pollution has occurred.
You must comply with any works notices issued by your environmental regulator. They may require:
- preventative measures
- removal of polluting matter
- restoration of environmental damage.
Enforcement notices
Your environmental regulator may serve an enforcement notice where it believes that a breach of consent is likely to occur or has occurred. The enforcement notice specifies the steps to be taken and the timescale.
In this guideline:
