Engineering

If inappropriately located or inadequately controlled, engineering activities can have an adverse impact on both the quality and quantity of groundwater and dependent ecosystems and surface water features.

This page provides links to the main legislation and policy guidance relating to groundwater and engineering activities.

• Water Framework Directive
  
• Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 
  
• Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 
  
• Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999 
  
• The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 

• Groundwater Protection Policy for Scotland V3, November 2009 (1mb)
  
• Planning Advice Note 50: Controlling the environmental effects of surface mineral workings 
  
• NetRegs  
  Provides free environmental guidance for small businesses in the UK including guidance on oil storage.
  
• Code of Practice for the Owners and Operators of Quarries and other Mineral Extraction Sites  (1.11mb)

• Evaluating the Potential Impact of Opencast Coal Mining on Water Quality (Groundwater Regulations 1998): An Assessment Framework for Scotland  (1.69mb)

A research and development project to assess the impact of opencast coal mining on water quality was undertaken for SEPA in 2004.