The criminal offence of water pollution is defined as the entry of poisonous, noxious or polluting matter. This covers most inland and coastal waters (including ground waters).
The law clearly states the principle that such entry should be the exception and, where it is necessary, must be controlled.
The DEFRA (Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) website has a section on Water Quality (see related links on the right) which provides links to material on quality of the water environment - rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters and groundwater.
This includes issues such as sewage treatment and disposal, bathing waters, dangerous substances, nitrates from agricultural sources, and economic instruments for water pollution.
The Environment Agency is the regulatory body for most pollution incidents concerning the water environment . |