Water contamination

What can pollute water?

Almost any solid, liquid or gaseous substance entering surface or ground waters can cause pollution. These include:

• Chemicals
• Salt
• Wash waters
• Waste products
• Trade effluents
• Fuels
• Hot water
• Rainwater that has been contaminated from a site

Most substances that businesses use and dispose of are unsuitable for discharge to surface or ground waters without being treated first.

If you pollute the water environment, you are probably committing an offence.

What are surface waters and ground waters?

Surface waters include rivers, lakes, lochs, loughs, reservoirs, ponds, streams, canals, ditches, coastal waters and estuaries.

Groundwater is the top level of water that is stored underground, in the saturated zone.

Ground waters include groundwater as well as water above the saturated zone. This is all water-contained underground.

For further information on legislation etc please contact Simply Think UK on 0845 194 7330 or hit the Quotation Button.