§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many incidents of diffuse pollution have been recorded in each year since 1997; and how many resulted in(a) prosecutions and (b) fines. [99250]
§ Mr. MorleyIn its records of pollution incidents, the Environment Agency has identified 4,779 incidents since 1999 where urban or rural land run-off was the likely cause and which have been attributed to diffuse sources.
However, by its very nature diffuse pollution often does not manifest itself as an identifiable incident. Much diffuse pollution occurs through repeated low level leaching of pollutants from land or run-off from surfaces that has a cumulative impact on water quality. So, records of pollution incidents only pick up a small part of the problem of diffuse pollution.
It has not proved possible to collate any information on prosecutions and fines in relation to diffuse pollution for this answer.
Most current legislation relating to water pollution is addressed at point sources, such as discharges of industrial effluent or specific pollution incidents, and was not designed to prevent or control more gradual diffuse pollution. This is why the Government have proposed the creation of a new statutory power to prevent and control diffuse pollution as part of action to transpose the provisions of the water framework directive into domestic legislation. This proposal was included in the "Second Consultation Paper on the Implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)", published in October 2002.
§ Norman BakerTo ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what changes have taken place or are planned related to tracing the sources of diffuse pollution.[99251]
§ Mr. MorleyIn the past tracing sources of diffuse water pollution has been done as part of catchment campaigns by the Environment Agency to improve compliance with river quality objectives. Such campaigns have been run in various catchments across the country.
As part of action to implement the water framework directive, a more comprehensive approach will be required. The directive requires that reviews are undertaken of the impact of human activity on the 778W status of surface waters and on groundwater, including the identification of significant diffuse source pollution. The Government have proposed that a specific duty should be placed on the Environment Agency to carry out such reviews. This proposal is set out in the "Second Consultation Paper on the Implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)", published in October 2002.