Guidance

Groundwater activity exclusions from environmental permits

Find out if your groundwater discharges are extremely low risk so don’t need an environmental permit or exemption.

• From: Environment Agency
• Published: 14 March 2017
• Last updated: 5 August 2021 — See all updates

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Groundwater activity exclusions from environmental permits

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Use this publication to find out about groundwater activity exclusions for:

• accidents and natural causes
• very minor discharges – also called ‘de minimis’
• risks to human health or the environment
• disproportionate cost for land contamination

Published 14 March 2017
Last updated 5 August 2021 + show all updates

1. 5 August 2021

   We have added exclusion 2.8 ‘Discharge onto ground of public water supply auto analyser waters’. If you meet the conditions in this exclusion you do not need a permit to carry out this activity.

2. 11 July 2018

   Added a new de minimis exclusion (section 2.7). It explains when you can discharge groundwater that meets drinking water quality standards onto ground.

3. 13 June 2018

   Changes to 'Very minor discharges exclusion – also called de minimis’ (section 2) to explain that you need to assess whether a ‘class of case’ exclusion applies.

4. 14 March 2017

   First published.