The Environment Agency has published an update to their Groundwater Source Protection Zone Guidance.
The updated guidance webpage can be found here and describes why source protection zones are important to protect groundwater resources, and gives a general overview of how SPZs are defined. A ‘Manual for the production of Groundwater Source Protections Zones’ has also been released and provides detail on the following:
• how the Environment Agency produced the zones
• technical details of the methods used
• how the Environment Agency keeps the zones up to date
• case studies of using particular methods in different geological settings
Our Hydrogeologists at McCloy Consulting are specialists in groundwater protection and can carry out Hydrogeological Risk Assessments for developments within Groundwater Source Protection Zones.
The Environment Agency will initially object to development within SPZs, and McCloy Consulting are experienced in producing reports for planning in response to these objections.
A short case study for a recent project we assisted on can be found here.
If you require some advice on development within source protection zones, please get in touch with Richard Thompson.