Control of Pollution Act (1974)

Licensing and monitoring are the main mechanisms for controlling discharges of pollutants to the water environment. The Control of Pollution Act 1974 (COPA 1974) controls discharges of poisonous, noxious or polluting substances to controlled waters in Scotland. Businesses intending to discharge such substances, or those discharging trade or sewage effluent directly to controlled waters, must have an authorisation from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Authorisations contain conditions on both the quality and quantity of effluent permitted.

Groundwater Regulations 1998

You can find out about Groundwater issues in our Groundwater section


European Directives

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC)

SEPA staff continue to work in translating Control of Pollution Act 1974 discharge consents into the required two-tier format needed for implementing the UWWTD. SEPA's environmental monitoring information for both water quality and flow data was used to maximum effect and investment priorities for sewage treatment can now be targetted to those areas where water quality has been most serioulsy affected. UWWTD therefore continues to provide the principal mechanism by which unsatisfactory sewage dischargers can be remedied.

Shellfish Waters (79/923/EEC)

This directive aims to protect the quality of coastal and brackish waters designated for protection or improvement to support particular shellfish populations. The number of waters formally identified under this directive in Scotland now stands at 33.

Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC)

The Nitrates Directive (EU Council Directive of 12 December 1991) has the objectives of reducing water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and preventing further such pollution. Nitrates are a health hazard in waters which are used as sources of drinking water. Nitrates are also nutrients which contribute to eutrophication, especially in coastal and marine waters. The Directive requires -

• the establishment of a code of practice, to be implemented on a voluntary basis by farmers, to protect waters from pollution by nitrates
  
  
• the identification of waters polluted by nitrates from agricultural sources
  
  
• the identification of the land areas contributing to the pollution and the designation of these lands as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs)
  
  
• the establishment of action programmes in relation to designated NVZs within one year of designation, and
  
  
• the implementation of these action programmes within four years of their establishment.
  

Water Framework Directive (2001/60/EEC)

This directive has introduced the most important changes to Scottish
legislation protecting the water environment since 1974 when the Control
of Pollution Act was passed. It has extended environmental protection
for point and diffuse sources of pollution as well as impacts associated
with water abstractions, dams and engineering work.

For more information on the implementation of the WFD Click Here