HC Deb 15 January 1997 vol 288 cc250-1W
Mrs. Helen Jackson

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the National River Authority's and the Environment Agency's definitions of pollution incident categories for categories 1, 2, 3 and 4. [10198]

Mr. Clappison

[holding answer 13 January 1997]: The Environment Agency's definition of pollution incidents is as follows:

Category 1 A major incident involving one or more of the following:

  1. (a) potential or actual persistent effect on water quality or aquatic life;
  2. (b) closure of potable water; industrial or agricultural abstraction necessary;
  3. (c) extensive fish kill;
  4. (d) excessive breaches of consent conditions;
  5. (e) instigation of extensive remedial measures;
  6. (f) significant adverse effect on amenity value;
  7. (g) significant adverse effect on site of conservation importance.

Category 2 A significant incident which involves one or more of the following:

  1. (a) notification of abstractor necessary;
  2. (b) significant fish kill;
  3. (c) readily observable effect on invertebrate life;
  4. (d) water unfit for stock watering;
  5. (e) bed of watercourse contaminated;
  6. (f) amenity value to downstream users reduced by odour or appearance.

Category 3 A minor incident resulting in localised environmental impact only. Some of the following may apply:

  1. (a) notification of abstractors not necessary;
  2. (b) fish kill of fewer than 10 fish (species of no particular importance to the affected water);
  3. (c) no readily observable effect on invertebrate life;
  4. (d) water not unfit for stock watering;
    5. 251
  5. (e) bed of watercourse only locally contaminated;
  6. (f) minimal environmental impact and amenity value only marginally affected.

Category 4 A reported pollution incident which on investigation proves to be unsubstantiated in that no evidence can be found of a pollution incident having occurred.