Page 2 - Surface Water Management Guidance - 2023

Table of Contents 1. Pollution Prevention

A Company-Wide Responsibility

1 Pollution prevention. A Company Wide Responsibility
The mis-management of a company’s operational
2 Why Water Pollution Prevention Matters activities can have a significant detrimental impact on the
quality of our inland waterways.
2.1 Project Risks and Program Delays
Frequently, it is perceived that the risk of causing a
2.2 Fines and Criminal Sanctions pollution event and any subsequent consequence is a
matter for the operational side of the business. However,
2.3 Brand Damage pollution needs to be viewed as being a company wide
responsibility shared by all. Tesco hit with major £8 million
3 The Benefits of Engaging Early with Water Matters Tesco hit with major £8 million fi-
fine for pollution incident
Historically (Pre-2014) the dominant force that drove a ne for pollution incident
https://www.gov.uk/government/
4 Main Pollutants Company’s awareness of the need to prevent pollution https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tesco-hit-with-
news/tesco-hit-with-major-8million-
from occurring was public perception, fuelled by the major-8million-fine-for-pollution-incident
fine-for-pollution-incident
4.1 Silt Laden Water actions of pressure groups such as Friends of the Earth and
Greenpeace.
4.2 Alkaline pH
In 2014 the Privy Council issued guidance to judges: Environmental Sentencing Guidelines - Click

4.3 Metals Here to read in full.

4.4 Fuels and Oils The purpose of these guidelines was to develop a consistent approach to setting fines. This was
to ensure that the fines acted as a true deterrent and to allow the claw back of any financial
5 Water Management Support Services benefit that the company might have gained by not protecting the environment.

Since the introduction of the Environmental Sentencing Guidelines, the level of fines handed out
5.1 Pre-Construction for water pollution has increased from a low level to a high level, reflecting the environmental

damage that polluted water can cause when released into the environment.
5.2 Construction

5.3 Project Completion