Water pollution

Water is a vital natural resource for many reasons. Millions of litres are needed everyday for human consumption, washing, irrigating crops, and cooling industrial processes not to mention leisure.

Despite our dependence on water, in the UK pollute and overuse of the water supply continues. Our businesses may cause pollution through the following activities:
1. Spillage of toxic materials during delivery storage and use.
2. Silt or cement washout entering a water course.
3. Waste entering a watercourse
4. Spillage of sewage.

We aim to protect water resources from pollution by ensuring that business activities do not cause detrimental impacts We are also aware that we need to find new ways of working to conserve the amount of water we use. (see Toolbox Talk Water Pollution and Water Use in Offices).

We have had no enforcement notices or prosecutions for water pollution in 2004.