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underground,under threat

Groundwater protection: policy and practicePart 1 – overview

Environment Agency GP3 Part 1 – Overview 3

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Environment Agency

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prior permission of the Environment Agency.

We are the Environment Agency. It’s our job to look after yourenvironment and make it a better place – for you, and forfuture generations.

Your environment is the air you breathe, the water you drinkand the ground you walk on. Working with business,Government and society as a whole, we are making yourenvironment cleaner and healthier.

The Environment Agency. Out there, making your environmenta better place.

The role of groundwater in providingus with good clean water has longbeen out of the public eye. But it is avitally important resource, providingone third of the water we drink andfeeding many rivers and wetlands.The 2006 drought has shown just how much we depend ongroundwater, and the pressuresthat it is under.

At the Environment Agency we aim to raise the profile of groundwater and give priority to its protection andmanagement. In this report, our first on the state ofgroundwater, we outline the uses of groundwater asa water resource and then go on to look at the risks tothis resource from pollution and over exploitation. At the end of the report we discuss how we managegroundwater and the challenges that we face.

It is essential to plan now to secure the long-term healthof groundwater for both the environment and publicwater supply. We will continue to look at groundwater aspart of the bigger picture of water management, and welook forward to working in partnership with others toprotect this asset for future generations.

Paul LeinsterActing Chief Executive,Environment Agency

Foreword


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4 Environment Agency GP3 Part 1 – Overview

1 Introduction 5

2 Core policy and aimsfor groundwater protection 6

3 Why we need the GP3 8

3.1 Our role 8

3.2 Continuing pressures 8

4 Groundwater: an overview 9

4.1 The role of groundwater 9

4.2 Threats to groundwater 10

4.3 Long-term trends 11

5 Groundwater protection 13

5.1 The distinctive character of groundwater 13

5.2 The risk-based approach 13

5.3 Existing management 14

5.4 Future challenges 15

5.5 Groundwater monitoring 15

5.6 Groundwater research 15

6 Groundwater in a wider context 16

6.1 Land-use planning 16

6.2 Other strategies and policies 17

7 GP3 structure 18

Contents

Part 1 – Overview• Our overall position at the Environment Agency on the management and protection of groundwater• An overview that identifies our goals

Part 2 – Technical Framework• A basic introduction to groundwater and its place in the water cycle

• Key principles and concepts

• Description of the threats from human activities

Part 3 – Tools• Introduction to the tools available for analysing and assessing the risks to groundwaterÊ

• A brief overview of the use and application of each tool and where to obtain it

Part 4 – Position Statements• Key groundwater legislation and how we interpret it

• Position Statements on activities that pose a risk to groundwater and how we plan to deal with them

Groundwater is hidden from view, yet it is everywherebeneath our feet. It is a vital resource that plays manyroles in our lives and environment:

• It provides water for rivers, wetlands and water supplies.

• It supplies tap water for 16 million people across England and Wales.

• It sustains the flow and ecology of our rivers,particularly in dry weather.

• It is important for both industry and agriculture.

• In some places, it may be the only practical source of fresh water.

The Environment Agency is the statutory bodyresponsible for the protection and management ofgroundwater resources in England & Wales.

We have set out a framework for our regulation andmanagement of this precious resource in a set ofdocuments, collectively known as GroundwaterProtection: Policy and Practice (GP3). In these wedescribe our aims and objectives for groundwater,our technical approach to its management andprotection, the tools we use to do our work and our policies and approach to the application oflegislation. The documents also provide a route mapto other policies, strategies, procedures and technicalresources related to groundwater. More detail is givenat the end of this Overview.

Each part of the GP3 is focused on a differentaudience. As well as providing a guide to GP3, thisOverview (Part 1 of the GP3) sets out our Core Policy and describes our aims and objectives forgroundwater for policy makers, planners and thepublic at large.

The Technical Framework (Part 2) introduces basicgroundwater concepts, and the principles ofmanagement, monitoring and risk assessment that we use in groundwater protection, primarily for atechnically aware but non-specialist audience.

The Tools we describe in Part 3 are those used byhydrogeological specialists in the assessment andmanagement of groundwater issues.

Our detailed policies for different sectors andactivities are set out in Part 4. These will be ofinterest to operators, developers, planners andanyone whose activities have a direct impact on or are affected by, groundwater.

Our aims for the GP3 are:

• to provide a framework for our statutory role – to ensure we use our powers in a consistent andtransparent manner;

• to encourage co-operation between ourselves andother bodies with statutory responsibilities for theprotection of groundwater. These include nationaland local government, water companies, NaturalEngland and the Countryside Council for Wales;

• to promote our policies, so that land-users andpotential developers may anticipate how we arelikely to respond to a proposal or activity;

• to influence the decisions of other organisations onissues we are concerned about but which we donot regulate;

• to ensure that groundwater protection andmanagement are consistent with our Vision for the environment and a sustainable future;

• to provide vital information and background ongroundwater protection in England and Wales.

Groundwater Protection: Policy and Practice1 Introduction


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The Environment Agency’s core groundwater policy is:To protect and manage groundwater resources for present and futuregenerations in ways that are appropriate for the risks that we identify.

This policy is in support of the Environment Agency’s overall vision for‘a healthy, rich and diverse environment in England and Wales, for presentand future generations’.

2 Core policy and aims forgroundwater protection

To achieve this we aim:• to ensure we meet the needs of the environment

and people;

• to manage surface water and groundwater as anintegrated whole;

• to use robust measures to prevent the pollution of groundwater;

• to achieve the environmental objectives of theWater Framework Directive;

• to make information on groundwater available andraise the general awareness of groundwater issues;

• to undertake research, so that we a have a betterunderstanding of groundwater processes;

• to make sure our policies for managinggroundwater support our work in the wider environment.

Prevention is better than cure. We aim to preventdamage to groundwater in the first place, rather thanhaving to restore it later. In the long term, this is bothmore cost effective and better for the environment.

We wish to exert real influence on the problems andthreats which groundwater faces. To do this, it isimportant that we, as an organisation, are flexibleenough to respond to the actual situations in front ofus. We must be able to work with others to achieveour aims. All this will help to keep the focus onresults and on the nine themes which make up ourVision for the environment in general (see next page).

Clean and sustainable groundwaterresources will play a crucial role inachieving our Vision for theenvironment. Nine themessupport this Vision:

• Better quality of life

• Improved and protected inland and coastal waters

• Enhanced environment for wildlife

• Reducing flood risk

• Restored, protected land

• Greener business world

• Sustainable use of natural resources

• Limiting climate change

• Cleaner air

Some examples of the role that groundwater can play in these themes are:

• Groundwater provides a good supply of drinkingwater. It also helps to ensure reliable river flows andriver water quality. It protects the habitats andenvironments that we all enjoy. In all these ways,groundwater supports our way of life.

• Groundwater is a renewable resource but over-usecan have long-term impacts on water supplies andriver flows. Reduction in demand and making use ofsurface water together with groundwater can providesustainable water supplies in the long-term.

• Groundwater is recharged by rainfall passing throughthe soil. If land is in poor condition this can threatenthe quality of groundwater. If groundwater becomespolluted it may affect both the quality of surfacewater and also ecosystems, potentially harmingplants and animals. Protecting groundwater is astrong reason for protecting and restoring land.

• Protecting groundwater can reduce the need forenergy-intensive purification treatment. With carefuluse groundwater is a sustainable resource that canhelp to heat and cool buildings. All of this can reduceour use of chemicals and energy and the greenhousegases we produce.

Groundwater and our Vision for the environment

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3.1 Our role

To carry out our statutory responsibilities and meetour aims we have to explain clearly how we believegroundwater should be managed and protected. To put this into practice we need to work with others,such as developers, planners, other agencies andthose working in industry and agriculture. The GP3provides a framework for this.

As part of our regulatory role we issue permits andhave enforcement powers. Their main purpose is toprevent harm to groundwater or groundwater uses.Wherever possible, our decisions and actions relatedirectly to the likely risks, costs and benefits. We aimto be a modern regulator and as such we must showthat our work and regulation is appropriate to therisks involved.

Our policies are focused on where we need to clarifyregulatory requirements or explain how we use ourdiscretionary powers. The policies also describe howwe wish to work with others to achieve our aims forthe environment where legislation is not in place ordirect regulation is not appropriate.

The legislation on groundwater management andprotection is summarised in Part 4 of the GP3.However, GP3 is not intended to be a definitive ordetailed guide to such requirements and it is not alegally binding document.

In outlining our approach to groundwater protection,we offer guidance on how to respond to risk in mostcircumstances rather than a single way of doingthings. You may need to adapt the principles in theGP3 to local conditions, and take into account theneeds of the wider environment. We seek a consistentapproach to groundwater management andprotection, but recognise the need for flexibility torespond to local conditions. Any deviations from our advice, which should be the exception ratherthan the rule, should be clearly explained.

3.2 Continuing pressures

People are generally more aware of the ways in which many everyday activities can threatengroundwater. There have been some improvements in the management of resources and some types ofgroundwater pollution are less common. However,we still see many signs that the quality ofgroundwater is deteriorating, and the pressure ongroundwater resources continues to increase. Muchof this is due to the intensive use of land for industry,agriculture and urban development, over large partsof England and Wales. Also, the impacts of pastactivities on groundwater systems often last a longtime. Long-term management and protection policiesare essential if we are to preserve our groundwaterresources for future generations.

The first groundwater policy document1 published in1992 was produced in response to concerns about thedeterioration in the quality of groundwater. At thetime there was only limited legislation to control the many activities that threaten groundwater. The document had a substantial influence on bothregulators and stakeholders. It provided a focus for developments such as protection zones andvulnerability maps. The document had the keyobjective to provide a framework covering all typesof threat to groundwater quality and quantity,whether large or small, from point or diffuse sources,by conservative or degradable pollutants.

There have been substantial changes in legislationsince, culminating in the Water Framework Directive(2000/60EC) and the Water Act 2003. We also knowa lot more about groundwater management andprotection. In addition, the original policy had gaps,which we have now tried to fill. All these changes arereflected in the GP3.

3 Why we need the GP3

1 Environment Agency 1992 “Policy and Practice for theProtection of Groundwater (PPPG)”


4.1 The role of groundwater

Groundwater is a key part of the water cycle. It is also the UK’slargest available source offresh water.

In England and Wales as a whole, groundwatersupplies around one third of our drinking water.However, this proportion varies regionally. Overlowland England, where the pressures on land use aregreatest, half of all our supplies come fromgroundwater. This rises to more than 70% in thesouth-east. In rural areas, groundwater may be theonly viable water source for isolated properties.

Groundwater also provides a large proportion of thewater in our rivers. It sustains flows in dry weather.This base-flow is vital to maintain the quality of river water and the dependent flora and fauna. If groundwater is polluted, it can threaten river ecosystems.

River water can also flow into the ground, forexample through swallow holes. It then becomesgroundwater. If the river water is of poor quality thiscan pollute the groundwater. We sometimes see theeffects of this in groundwater abstracted far from theoriginal river. This underlines the need to managesurface water and groundwater in an integrated way. We should not forget that they are part of the same water cycle.

4 Groundwater: an overview


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4.2 Threats to groundwater

Groundwater is easily polluted. Sometimes this is theresult of the deliberate use or disposal of pollutingsubstances. However, many of our daily activities arealso potential threats. Leaks, spills and poormaintenance can all release significant volumes ofchemicals. These may be difficult to see until someuse of groundwater is affected. All these pollutantsthreaten the quality of groundwater, and thereforeour water supplies, rivers and wetlands.

Groundwater resource is the amount of wateravailable for people and the environment. If youabstract too much groundwater, it may not bereplenished by rainfall. This can cause springs andshallow wells to dry up. The flow in rivers may alsodiminish or cease. Saline or poor quality water can be drawn in from the sea or from deeper in theaquifer. Mining, quarrying, and civil engineering canalso increase the risks to groundwater, by removingaquifer material or the overlying protective cover of soil and rock. This can cause changes in groundwater flow and increase the risk frompollution and flooding.

Both point and diffuse sources of pollution affectgroundwater quality (see box adjacent). Pollutionfrom point sources is normally relatively localised,and from separate and identifiable sources. Oncedetected, point source pollution can usually be dealtwith using established regulatory controls, such aspermits or notices. We will continue to use thesecontrols but also grow our role in promoting goodpractice that prevents pollution in the first place.

In contrast, diffuse pollution results from activitieswhere it is often difficult to identify an immediatecause and effect. However, the pollution often affectsa large volume of groundwater. Diffuse pollution isnow the most widespread and increasing form ofgroundwater pollution in England and Wales.

Worse still, it is more difficult to put right. Ourpriority must be prevention and control. We willwork with others to encourage changes in land usepractices, but to do this we will need changes in thelaw and in what is considered acceptable. It will needus all to play our part in groundwater protection.

Some activities that putgroundwater at risk• Discharge of waste and wastewater onto or

into the ground.

• Use of chemicals such as fertilisers and pesticides.

• Spreading of slurry, manure, and abattoir wastes.

• Civil engineering, mining, urban developmentand quarrying.

• Over-abstraction.

Point and diffuse sourcesPoint source pollution mostly comes from spills, leaksand discharges at a single point or over a small area.

Diffuse pollution is from scattered or widespreadsources. These include fertiliser and pesticideapplication, atmospheric deposition (rain and dust)and mining.

The distinction between diffuse and point sourcepollution is not always clear-cut. Sometimes itdepends on the scale of the problem. For example,multiple leaks from the sewer system can result indiffuse pollution on a city-wide scale. However, aleaking sewer beneath a single street creates point source pollution.

The volume of stored groundwater is enormous. The sandstone aquifer under the Vale of York and theChalk aquifer in Hampshire each cover nearly thesame area as Greater London. Each stores at least5,000 billion litres. In comparison Europe’s largestman made lake, Kielder reservoir in Northumberland,stores 200 billion litres.

4.3 Long-term trends

The demand for water from industry has fallen. Insome areas this has reduced the pressure on resourcesso that groundwater levels have risen. This is mostcommon in some urban and former mining areas.More groundwater is good news, but rising levels cansometimes damage water quality and interfere withburied structures. We will work with otherorganisations, such as the Coal Authority and watercompanies, to find workable and sustainablesolutions to these potential problems.

In contrast, we are now using more water fordomestic use than ever before. The steady rise in the number of households has been mirrored byincreasing consumption per person. There is growingpressure on groundwater for public water supply,particularly in the south-east of England wheregroundwater resources are already heavily developed.

Increasing urban development also threatensgroundwater resources, by diverting rainfall straightinto drainage systems which lead directly to rivers or the sea. This can exacerbate flooding problems as it increases the rate at which water enters our river systems.

Climate change is a less predictable threat: it bringsincreased risk of both droughts and floods. Theintensities and amounts of rainfall are becomingmore unpredictable. To avoid shortages, watercompanies may need additional storage – more use ofthe natural storage potential of groundwater is likely.We will also refine the already sophisticated systemsfor managing water resources. This will maximise theamount of water available from both groundwaterand surface water (rivers and reservoirs). Techniques,such as Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR), may help.

Prolonged heavy rainfall can lead to rises ingroundwater levels causing groundwater flooding. In many areas there are continuing signs of a declinein groundwater quality. Though point sources are stilla concern, this decline is largely due to diffusepollution. These pollutants, such as nitrate, are oftenlinked to agricultural activity. They are widespreadand their presence in groundwater has increased overmany years. If action is not taken, it will be difficultto achieve the environmental objectives of the WaterFramework Directive and the costs of water supplywill increase yet further.

The costs associated with deteriorating groundwaterquality from both point and diffuse sources arealready substantial and are increasing (see Figure 1and box overleaf).

The unseen reservoir

Figure 1Summary of the volumes of groundwater used for public watersupply that have been affected by water quality deteriorationand tightening standards

ClosureTreatmentBlending

Volume affected (Mild)

2,500

2,000

1,500

1,000

500

1975–1979

1980–1984

1985–1989

1990–1994

1995–1999

2000–2005

Bars show the increased volumes of water that need treatment or have tobe blended to meet drinking water standards. They also show those sourceswhere closure was the best option.

Source: UKWIR ‘Implications Of Changing Groundwater Quality For WaterResources and the UK Water Industry. Phase 3: Financial and EconomicImpacts of Groundwater Pollution’


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5 Groundwater protection

5.1 The distinctive character of groundwater

Groundwater differs from surface water in a numberof important ways. Rivers, streams and lakes occur asseparate bodies of water; groundwater is widelydistributed. It flows in the cracks and pores in rock,and it is found practically everywhere beneath ourfeet. However, the rate of groundwater flow is usuallyvery slow in comparison with that of surface waters.There are also much larger differences in the naturalquality of groundwater. This reflects its long time inthe ground and its interactions with the rocks within which it flows.

Investigating and managing groundwater can also be much more difficult. It is not always easy to find a convenient location where the yield and quality of groundwater are good. However, although there are some obstacles to using groundwater, the storagepotential of aquifers and the overall groundwaterresource are much larger than those of our surface reservoirs.

The overlying cover of soil and rock often protectsgroundwater from the pollution caused by manyhuman activities. However, the same characteristicsthat contribute to its storage potential also mean thatany pollution that does get through this protectivecover stays in the groundwater for a long time –groundwater is said to have a long ‘memory’ of pastevents. Nature can help to clean up the water but theprocesses are slow. In surface waters, the relativelyfast flows remove or dilute pollutants, and light,oxygen and nutrients support biodegradation. Thesefeatures are much reduced in groundwater systems.

Because it is difficult to access the groundwaterenvironment, it is relatively expensive to clean it up.Often it is only possible and cost-effective to clean up pollution that is concentrated and/or localised.

These natural characteristics force us to take a verylong-term view of the threats to groundwater and of the costs of protecting it.

5.2 The risk-based approach

The Environment Agency uses a risk-based approach.This means that we balance the threat to theenvironment with the benefits from the proposedactivity or development. All activities involve somerisk: the risk assessment informs our decisions onaccepting, managing or minimising those risks. Theobjectives, interests and responsibilities of interestedparties may be varied and contradictory. However,we will always listen to your concerns.

We use a risk-based approach for two reasons. Thefirst is the complexity of the interacting physical,chemical and biological processes in the sub-surface.The second reason is the difficulty in observing theseprocesses directly. Often our data will not give us thefull picture – yet we still have to make a decision,judging as best we can the risks involved. Conceptualmodels are often essential. These are based onscientific principles and use available data and aprofessional assessment of the local circumstances.Developers or operators may need to seekprofessional assistance with their proposals: decisions based on a poor understanding or analysisof the groundwater environment can lead to costlymistakes with long-lasting impacts. In assessing yourproposals, we will use a similar professionalapproach and expertise.

The Technical Framework section of the GP3provides more details of the processes for riskassessment and conceptual modelling.

Most of the wells supplying water for public useproduce between five and 50 million litres of water perday. To replace a well will cost on average £1.30 perlitre of water abstracted (assuming it is possible to findwater of acceptable quality).

At one site a water company has spent £13 million toprovide low nitrate water to blend with high nitratewater contaminated by diffuse pollution. Theinvestigation and cleaning up of a typical site pollutedby solvents can cost between £500,000 and£2,000,000.

Cost of groundwater pollution


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5.4 Future challenges

Much has changed since we first published Policy andPractice for the Protection of Groundwater. There isnow a greater awareness of groundwater issues,partly as a consequence of that document. We nowhave access to greater technical expertise and thelegislative framework is more robust. There havebeen some successes from both legislation andvoluntary schemes, for example, in reducing theconcentrations of some pesticides in groundwater.

The Water Framework Directive provides us with anopportunity to take this further, and to tackle otherissues such as diffuse pollution. However, legislationand regulation will not be enough on their own. Wemust raise awareness and change behaviour. This willtake time and is not something that we can achieveon our own. The GP3 provides a framework for theselonger-term initiatives as well as our regulatory work.

There are no quick fixes. Many of the threats togroundwater come from land use – moving to a moresustainable use of land is a difficult and long-termprocess. Changing the way industries, includingagriculture, operate and how our urban areas developwill not happen overnight. There may be substantialtime lags between implementing changes and seeingthe benefits. Early, sustained action is essential if weare to protect these resources for the future. In thelong term, prevention will be substantially cheaperthan cure.

5.5 Groundwater monitoring

Monitoring is essential if we are to judge theeffectiveness of our work. We need to improve ourexisting approach in order to comply with the WaterFramework Directive. This will require us to monitorgroundwater levels and quality across England andWales in more detail that previously. You can findmore information about our systems for monitoringgroundwater in the Technical Framework.

5.6 Groundwater research

We have an active research and developmentprogramme. This supports both the GP3 and ourdaily work to manage and protect groundwater. Key areas of research include the development of anew system for assessing the vulnerability ofgroundwater to pollution, and studies to assess thesignificance of interactions between groundwater andsurface water. We work with others to improve anddevelop new tools for assessing risk and impact.Examples of such tools are mathematical models,which help in analysing and predicting the flow ofgroundwater and pollutants.

5.3 Existing management

We assess groundwater resources on a regular basisand produce a national water resources strategy thatforecasts the likely pressures on all water resourcesover the next 20 years and the ways we may be ableto satisfy future demand.

At the catchment scale we use Catchment AbstractionManagement Strategies (CAMS) to:

• give information to the public on available water resources and include them in the management process;

• provide a consistent approach to local waterresources management, recognising bothabstractors’ needs and the needs of theenvironment.

• provide a framework for managing abstractionlicences.

To get a clearer picture of what the future may havein store, we have also drawn on the Department ofTrade and Industry foresight scenarios. These look atthe impact of climate change together with changes inagriculture, industry and domestic use.

Groundwater quality is difficult to control – thepotential sources of pollution are many and varied,reflecting land use. Preventing pollution (the “preventor limit” approach) is by far the most sustainable andcost-effective way of maintaining good groundwaterquality. This is supported by therequirements of EUlegislation, such as the Groundwater, Nitrates andPlants Protection Products Directives.

We operate a system of permits for intentionaldischarges and disposals to groundwater, and controlother potentially polluting activities by measures suchas Notices and Codes of Good Practice.

We identify Nitrate Vulnerable Zones where actionplans are used to limit the amount of fertiliser,manure and slurry farmers can apply.

The marketing and use of substances such aspesticides and herbicides is subject to environmentalassessment. As existing and new products arereviewed for their pollution risks, this is becoming anincreasingly effective way of protecting groundwater.

Wherever possible, we use risk-based methods tocontrol releases of pollutants. A combination oflegislative controls and influencing measures has beenand will be necessary to achieve our objectives.

The outcome of these measures has been varied todate and groundwater quality is still declining insome areas. The main areas of concern are diffusepollution, particularly from nitrate, the accidentalrelease of persistent organic chemicals from industrialuses and historically contaminated land, includingmining.


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6.2 Other strategies and policies

We have developed the GP3 within the context ofwater resources generally – readers should not use itin isolation. Examples of other closely related keydocuments are:

• Securing the Future: This is the government’s newstrategy for sustainable development and waspublished in conjunction with a StrategicFramework in March 2005. It builds on the‘sustainable development strategy’ published in1999. The strategy says that sustainabledevelopment is the simple idea of enabling allpeople to satisfy their basic needs and to enjoy abetter quality of life without compromising thequality of life of future generations. In response tothe 1999 strategy, we published our EnvironmentalVision and will support this with our updatedcorporate strategy ‘Creating a better place’. Thevision sets out our contribution to sustainabledevelopment. The GP3 supports this by promotingsolutions that respond to specific risks but alsoconsider the long-term impacts.

• Directing the Flow: This is a Governmentpublication that sets priorities for future waterpolicy. It builds on the Sustainable DevelopmentStrategy and highlights the need for betterintegration between policies for water and otherareas. It identifies the need to make greater effortsto use water prudently, so that we maintainsupplies, and also emphasises the need to tacklediffuse pollution. Groundwater is a key part of thewater cycle and one aim of this Strategy is tointegrate groundwater more effectively intoenvironmental thinking.

• The Water Resources Strategy: We published this inMarch 2001. It is made up of a national summarydocument with seven separate English regionalstrategies and one strategy for Wales. It is part of aframework to ensure integrated planning for waterresources. We developed it with water users inresponse to our statutory duty to secure the properuse of water resources in England and Wales. Thestrategy considers the needs of public water supply,agriculture, industry and the environment, andtakes into account population growth and climatechange. Groundwater is the largest source of freshwater: the GP3 supports its use and promotes newapproaches to managing water resources.

• Chemicals Strategy: Our Chemicals Strategyfocuses on chemicals that may directly affect theenvironment, or human health throughenvironmental exposure. We need to target ourefforts on the point in their life cycle where we canmake the biggest difference. We do have toconsider costs, but we recognise that our decisionsalso need to take into account the manyenvironmental values, beliefs and behaviours insociety. Our work will require us to have a betterunderstanding of our environment and howchemicals affect it. We will also need effectivemonitoring to check our progress. The GP3 willhelp us by providing tools to identify chemicalsthat might affect groundwater. It will also help usto influence policy to control their use.

This list is by no means exhaustive. We set out howkey groundwater issues relate to other strategies inPart 4 of the GP3: Legislation and policies.

6.1 Land-use planning

Some development and uses of land threaten thequality and availability of groundwater. This meansthat land-use planning policies and procedures play asignificant role in protecting groundwater effectively.

At the national level, Planning Policy is directed by anumber of Planning Policy Statements (PPSs) inEngland, and Technical Advisory Notes (TANs) inWales. When these are reviewed, we will base ourcomments on the policies contained here in the GP3.

At the regional level, in England each planning regionis to have a Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS). In Walesthere will be the Wales Spatial Plan (WSP). These willset out both the general principles for developmentand the likely restrictions. They will be part of thestatutory development plan for an area and give us animportant opportunity to influence strategic planning.The GP3, especially in Part 4, will be the basis for oursubmissions to the regional planning process.

Local Development Documents (LDDs) sit below theregional plans. These will replace local plans, unitarydevelopment plans and county structure plans. Ingeneral, local planning authorities will prepare theLDDs. However, County Councils will prepare LDDsfor minerals and waste, both of which areparticularly relevant to groundwater protectionissues. We will seek to influence all LDDs as a way ofhelping to achieve our aims and objectives. We haveincluded groundwater protection objectives into ourown model planning policies. We want LocalPlanning Authorities to refer to these when they are drawing up their LDDs.

6 Groundwater in a wider context


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The GP3 is a set of documents. Thediagram below shows the overallstructure. The format of the individualdocuments varies. Some areavailable in a printed format. Allare available electronically on ourwebsite. Where you can, pleasedownload these documents and readthem on screen – it saves paper.

Part 1 – Overview Sets out our position on managing and protectingboth the quality and availability of groundwater. It also provides an overview of our approach andidentifies our aims. You can download a copy from our website.

Part 2 – Technical FrameworkProvides a basic introduction to groundwater and itsplace in the water cycle. It describes the intrinsicvalue of groundwater and the threats from humanactivities. You can download Part 2 from our website.

Part 3 – ToolsIntroduces and lists the tools available for analysingand assessing the risks to groundwater. These includevulnerability maps and tools to assess risks fromspecific activities or sites, such as landfill orgroundwater abstraction. It also gives a brief overviewof the use and application of each tool and where toobtain it. You can download Part 3 from our website.You can find out more on our website. Printed anddigital copies of some of the introductory texts on the tools are also available from our publicationscatalogue.

Part 4 – Legislation and policiesOutlines the key legislation on groundwater, how weinterpret it and how we seek to influence the activitiesof others. It is set out in sections according to the typeof activity. Each section has one or more policystatements and outlines the risks to groundwater fromthe activity. There is some explanatory detail. Becauselegislation and policy is develops rapidly we will needto revise this document regularly. For this reason it isonly available in electronic form on our website.

You are welcome to print copies of Part 4. However,before you make any decisions based on informationin it, you must check our website to ensure you havethe latest version. Changing legislation may meanthat the approach to certain activities ordevelopments will alter – so that a differentassessment or specification is required.

7 GP3 Structure

Figure 2‘Groundwater Protection: Policy and Practice’ document structure

Other strategies,policies andpositions

Part 2: TechnicalFramework

Provides backgroundinformation on groundwaterand the concepts used inits management andprotection

Part 3: ToolsA summary of tools availablefor groundwatermanagement.It is only available to downloadbut more detailed informationmay be available for individualtools. See our website

Part 4: Legislation and PoliciesPart 4 is subject to regular updatesand is divided into two sections. Theseare only available as downloads

LegislationBasic descriptionof the legislationapplicable togroundwater

ImplementationPolicy statementssetting out ourapproach toactivities

Part 4: Legislation and PoliciesPart 4 is subject to regular updatesand is divided into two sections. Theseare only available as downloads

LegislationBasic descriptionof the legislationapplicable togroundwater

Implementation

Part 1: Overview

Describes our

overarching Policy

and Vision for

groundwater

management and

protection. Available

as printed version or

free to download

Legal advice.Statutoryguidance.Codes of practice

Internal policyand guidanceInternal policyand guidance

GEHO1006BLMW-E-P

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making the pulp and paper are used for composting and fertiliser, formaking cement and for generating energy.

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