The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has issued updated directions to the Environment Agency on its obligations to protect groundwater.

The update document sets out instructions to the Environment Agency on obligations to protect groundwater (water found below the surface). It updates requirements including:

• the monitoring and setting of thresholds for pollutants in groundwater
• adding new pollutants to the list of pollutants to be monitored
• changing the information to be reported to the European Commission

The Groundwater (Water Framework Directive) (England) Direction 2016 revokes and replaces the Groundwater (Water Framework Directive) (England) Direction 2014, which applied to England. Similar Directions have been issued by the Welsh Ministers to Natural Resources Wales.

The new Directions will come into force on 11 July 2016.

Click here to download The Groundwater (Water Framework Directive) (England) Direction 2016