Focus on water quality
Top ten. At the end of August the EA produced a list containing details of the ten most improved rivers in Britain (see The next step). This includes the Thames in London, the Wear in County Durham, the Stour in Worcestershire and the Darent in Kent. In the past these rivers had serious problems. Some ran black with coal pollution, others were almost running dry because of the amount of water that was being abstracted by local businesses and industry.
Not any more. According to the EA, the transformation of these rivers has been achieved as a result of thousands of habitat improvement projects, tighter regulation of polluting industries and work with farmers, businesses and water companies to reduce pollution and improve water quality. In addition, some of the rivers have improved because of restrictions being placed on the amount of water being abstracted. For example, water taken from the River Darent has been reduced by 35 million litres per day.
What might this mean for you? If you’re a keen fisherman or someone who enjoys summer walks along the riverbank, then this is obviously good news. But what is the likely impact for your business? The main plus point is that the EA isn’t going to change its policy. This is good news as you won’t need to deal with new legislation or a different enforcement approach for some time to come.
Tip. As keeping water systems clean is a top priority for the EA, it’s going to take a tough approach to dealing with those who step out of line. So if your business can affect water quality, i.e. you discharge effluent, you must stick to the parameters defined in your environmental permit. Plus, ensure that you complete and record any testing and monitoring which is required.
For further information on river improvements, visit http://environment.indicator.co.uk (EN 06.04.01).
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