Guidance

Water and sewerage company effluent discharges - supply chain failure: RPS B2

How to manage effluent discharge treatment when you cannot get the chemicals you need because of unavoidable supply chain failure.

• From: Environment Agency
• Published: 6 September 2021
• Last updated: 15 October 2021 — See all updates

This publication was withdrawn on 4 January 2022

The Environment Agency has withdrawn the regulatory position statement ‘Water and sewerage company effluent discharges - supply chain failure: RPS B2’ because it has expired.

Applies to England

Documents

Water and sewerage company effluent discharges: supply chain failure RPS B2

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Details

You need a permit under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 to discharge treated effluent from a waste water treatment works (WwTW) to surface water or groundwater. Permits contain conditions that control the quality of the effluent you can discharge.

This regulatory position statement (RPS) does not alter your legal obligations under your permit or relevant legislation. However, if you follow the conditions in this RPS the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action for discharging effluent in breach of the conditions of your permit.

You must get written agreement from your Environment Agency water company account manager before you use this RPS.

Published 6 September 2021
Last updated 15 October 2021 + show all updates

1. 15 October 2021

   Amended to clarify that this RPS applies to the chemicals used to treat the effluent are for reducing phosphorus before discharging. Also clarified that the RPS does not alter your legal obligations but rather the Environment Agency's enforcement approach if the conditions are followed.

2. 6 September 2021

   First published.