Groundwater Licences (England & Wales)

Groundwater Abstraction

PDF: Dewatering Advice Flowchart on Abstraction Regulatory Position – England & Wales

From 1st January 2018, the Water Abstraction (Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2017 removed previous exemptions for construction dewatering from environmental regulation control.

Although there are certain exemptions for construction dewatering under the Water Abstraction and Impounding (Exemptions) Regulations 2017 Water Abstraction and Impounding (Exemptions) Regulations 2017. It is a common misunderstanding that this applies to specialist dewatering methods. Regulation 5 exemptions do not apply to boreholes, wells or wellpoints and in for projects in England & Wales where dewatering is required a groundwater abstraction licence needs to be in place.

You legally cannot commence pumping until all required licences and consents are in place. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of this risk and leave sufficient time to obtain the required licences. Stuart Wells can oversee and undertake the licencing application process for you. Please contact us for more information and to discuss on how we can assist.

Construction Dewatering Scenarios – Abstraction Licence Exemptions Guide

Information on and updated EA fees and charges can be accessed from the following link: Environmental permits and abstraction licences: tables of charges.

Stuart Wells advice to gain required permits in as shortest time possible, based on experience and working within the EA triage processing system, is to engage with us for professional services with the strategy to submit a good quality application with good quality information and assessments as soon as possible. We would recommend using the EA enhanced pre-application service, with supporting information consisting of a Dewatering Technical Note, Water Feature Survey and Hydrogeological Impact Assessment (HIA) in accordance to guidelines Hydrogeological Impact Appraisal for Dewatering Abstractions” 2007 Science Report – SC040020/SR1 at which point the EA will advise on any other information they will be required to support a full application. Please contact us for more information and to discuss matters.

Groundwater Discharge

Discharge to Surface Water (Rivers, Streams etc...)

Environmental Regulations regarding discharge of groundwater from temporary dewatering operations to surface water are set out in EA Guidelines document RPS 262 Temporary dewatering from excavations to surface water: RPS 261. There are listed exemption conditions, and we would advise you contact us for more information and to discuss on how we can assist, but to simplify, the RPS potentially allows groundwater discharge to surface water for no more than 3 consecutive months 3 months provided the discharge is uncontaminated and clean with plans and control measures for silt, disposal and use machinery in excavations while dewatering is taking place. There is also a requirement to keep records for 2 years that show you have complied with the RPS .

Should the discharge period go beyond 3 consecutive months, or the discharge point is less than 500m upstream of a SSSI, SAC, SPA, site of community importance or Ramsar site. RPS 262 does not apply, and a bespoke environment discharge permit will be required. New bespoke environmental permit: application forms (England).

Discharge to Utility Outfall (Sewer etc...)

Should discharge be to a utility outfall you do not need an environmental discharge permit. However, a trade effluent discharge permit from the utility company or authority will be required. Most water companies use a wholesaler to manage the application and once you have a consent, you must comply with all its conditions. Normally a cost/m3 of discharge applies with regular inspection and monitoring. We would advise you contact us for more information and to discuss on how we can assist.