The Environment Agency is taking measures to maintain River Severn flows during prolonged dry weather, including releases from reservoirs in Wales and support from the Shropshire Groundwater Scheme. It is also carrying out fish rescues on affected stretches of the River Teme and working with farmers, growers and water companies on sustainable water use and temporary abstraction restrictions.
The Environment Agency has published statutory guidance for standard rules permit SR2008 No 9 covering the storage of asbestos waste. The guidance sets out strict conditions for how asbestos waste must be stored, including secure containment, segregation, time limits, and prohibitions on repackaging, loose storage, and certain handling methods.
The Environment Agency has consulted on a revised standard rules permit for the storage of asbestos waste under SR2008 No 9. The update is intended to improve the design and operation of permitted facilities, including a new condition addressing point source emissions to water, air or land and associated generic risk assessments.
The Environment Agency has secured £517,000 from United Utilities following sewage discharge permit breaches into the River Tame, with the money to fund local environmental improvements through Mersey Rivers Trust. The case forms part of a wider increase in enforcement activity across the water sector, alongside inspections and legally binding undertakings aimed at preventing repeat pollution incidents.
The Environment Agency has published updated business case templates for Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (FCERM) capital grant claims. The templates are intended for local authorities and internal drainage boards, and are designed to support consistent, evidence-based submissions that meet the Agency’s assurance requirements.
The Environment Agency has updated guidance on appealing where a water company refuses a public sewer connection or disputes the timing of provision. The process involves first applying to the relevant sewerage undertaker, with appeals to the Environment Agency taking at least 12 months and sometimes longer in complex cases.
The Environment Agency has issued a regulatory position statement on temporary storage of waste temperature exchange equipment (WTEE) where national treatment capacity constraints may prevent sites from operating within normal storage limits. It states that enforcement action will not normally be taken if the specified conditions in the RPS are met, but the underlying legal requirements remain unchanged.
