The Annual Environmental Report (AER) is a requirement for all Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) licensed facilities. The EPA is currently standardising the content of AER’s to collect only relevant, interpreted data. The EPA  have produced a guidance document and a series of templates intended to assist in standardising the reporting format of the AER and...

Regulation 7 of the Groundwater Regulations states that “Point source discharges and diffuse sources liable to cause groundwater pollution shall be controlled so as to prevent or limit the input of pollutants into groundwater”. This ‘prevent or limit’ objective is the core groundwater quality objective.  In principle, ‘prevent or limit’ measures are the first line...

Regulation 4 of the Groundwater Regulations (S.I. No. 9 of 2010) places a duty on public authorities to promote compliance with the requirements of the regulations and to take all reasonable steps to: prevent or limit the input of pollutants into groundwater prevent the deterioration of the status of all bodies of groundwater protect, enhance...

Due to the comprehensive nature of the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations, 2010 (S.I. No. 9 of 2010) (Groundwater Regulations), and their relation to the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) (WFD) and the Groundwater Directive (2006/118/EC) (GWD), a consistent approach towards technical assessment is needed. The EPA have published guidance on a framework for the processes,...

The technical assessment of a discharge to groundwater activity is risk-based and receptor-focussed. The assessment  follows the source-pathway-receptor model which underpins all groundwater protection schemes in Ireland as well as the Water Framework Directive on which the Groundwater Regulations are based. Every discharge activity carries a degree of risk.  The challenge lies in differentiating between...

The Environmental Liability Directive (2004/35/EC) is based on the ‘polluter pays’ principle.  It requires those operators whose activities pose an imminent threat of environmental damage to take preventive actions, and where such damage has occurred, to remediate it and cover the costs of these measures and any costs incurred by the competent authority (Environmental Protection...

In Ireland the Local Government (Water Pollution) Act, 1977, (as amended by the 1990 Act) provides the principal legal framework for the prevention and control of water pollution. This act includes A general prohibition against water pollution as well Provisions on licensing direct and indirect discharges Water quality standards and management plans. Increased maximum penalties...

The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government (DoECLG) has published a The Water Services  (Amendment) Bill 2011  to regulate wastewater discharges from all homes that are not connected to the public sewer network. All on-site septic tank systems or domestic wastewater treatment systems will have to be registered.  The registration system is to be established...