Breaking the Mould: Water Ingress Building Defects and the Scourge of Black Mould – 3PB

Posted April 11th, 2023 in chambers articles, defective premises, news, water by sally

‘”Black mould” is a very serious, sometimes deadly, consequence of water ingress building defects. Water ingress building defects are prolific, and issues and effects of mould growth are disturbingly common, particularly coming to the end of winter in Britain.’

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3PB, 6th March 2023

Source: www.3pb.co.uk

Watchdog to block shareholder payouts if UK water companies miss targets – The Guardian

‘The UK water regulator is to use new powers to block companies from shareholder payouts if they fail to hit performance and environmental targets.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Raw sewage in the Court of Appeal – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted February 22nd, 2023 in appeals, environmental health, human rights, judicial review, news, pollution, waste, water by tracey

‘The pumping of raw, untreated sewage into Britain’s waterways is one of the defining political issues of the day. Its potency as a legal issue, however, is limited. That, at least, is the outcome of R (Wild Justice) v OFWAT [2023] EWCA Civ 28.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st February 2023

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

High Court agrees to hear ancient common law argument in claim government sewage overflow plan is unlawful – Local Government Lawyer

‘The High Court has agreed to hear two judicial review claims of the government’s plan to reduce the discharge of untreated sewage into bodies of water in England, including one claim which argues a seven hundred-year-old common law right has been ignored.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

High court grants hearing on ‘weak’ plan to cut England sewage discharges – The Guardian

‘Campaigners are to make a high court challenge to the government’s plan to reduce raw sewage discharges into rivers and seas in England, arguing it does not go far enough.’

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The Guardian, 14th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Jet Skis: New rules crack down on reckless water scooter use – BBC News

Posted January 30th, 2023 in animals, birds, environmental protection, licensing, news, transport, water by tracey

‘Welsh wildlife experts have welcomed measures to crack down on reckless water scooter use.’

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BBC News, 29th January 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Claimants say Government sewage overflow plan contrary to ancient common law rights in pre-action letter – Local Government Lawyer

‘A surfer and an oyster supplier have joined with the Good Law Project to threaten a judicial review of a Government plan they argue will allow the discharge of untreated sewage into water bodies to continue for decades, breaching their “ancient” common law rights under the Public Trust Doctrine (PTD).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 31st October 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Give legal rights to animals, trees and rivers, say experts – The Guardian

‘Granting legal rights and protections to non-human entities such as animals, trees and rivers is essential if countries are to tackle climate breakdown and biodiversity loss, experts have said. The authors of a report titled Law in the Emerging Bio Age say legal frameworks have a key part to play in governing human interactions with the environment and biotechnology.’

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The Guardian, 10th October 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Environment Agency told to protect wetlands in landmark court case – The Guardian

‘The high court has ordered the Environment Agency to reduce water abstraction and protect England’s rare wetland habitats, in a landmark case that confirms that European nature conservation laws remain enforceable despite Britain having left the EU.’

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The Guardian, 7th September 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Conservationists seek judicial review of UK sewage discharge plan – The Guardian

‘The UK government’s plan to cut millions of hours of raw sewage discharges by water companies each year is facing a judicial review on the grounds that it is unlawful.’

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The Guardian, 31st August 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sizewell C nuclear plant approval faces legal challenge – The Guardian

‘Campaigners have begun a legal challenge against the government’s decision to give the Sizewell C nuclear power station the go-ahead amid warnings that UK nuclear plants will be on the frontline of climate breakdown.’

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The Guardian, 8th August 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Court of Appeal upholds High Court decision limiting private law actions in pollution disputes – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has confirmed a judgment of the High Court that affected parties do not have a right to bring private law actions against water companies over unauthorised discharges of sewage.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 28th June 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Government retracts ‘unlawful’ pollution guidance for England’s farms – The Guardian

‘Guidance that would have allowed farmers to spread manures and slurry on land in a way that would overload it with nutrients and risk pollution of rivers, lakes and coastal waters has been changed by Defra, after a challenge over its lawfulness.’

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The Guardian , 20th June 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Broads: Couple launch legal challenge over water extraction monitoring plans – BBC News

‘A couple who have spent years battling water abstraction in a national park are taking their fight to the High Court.’

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BBC News, 9th May 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Wetlands protection law delays building of new homes in England – The Guardian

‘A legal requirement that new houses do not pollute nearby wetlands, rivers and nature reserves has halted development across a swath of England.’

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The Guardian, 2nd May 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Breaches of English farm pollution laws rise as rules remain largely unenforced – The Guardian

Posted April 22nd, 2022 in agriculture, environmental health, news, pollution, statistics, water by sally

‘The number of documented violations of legislation designed to reduce water pollution caused by agriculture in England has hit record levels as the rules remain largely unenforced.’

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The Guardian, 21st April 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Environment Agency downgrading 93% of prosecutions for serious pollution – The Guardian

‘England’s Environment Agency has downgraded 93% of prosecutions for serious pollution over four years, despite recommendations from frontline staff for the perpetrators to face the highest sanction, a leaked report seen by the Guardian reveals.’

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The Guardian, 2nd March 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Bakery handed £26k fine after dishwasher pollutes stream – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 21st, 2022 in environmental protection, fines, local government, news, pollution, Wales, waste, water by sally

‘A Natural Resources Wales (NRW) prosecution has seen a bakery fined for polluting a stream with its dishwasher.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Burials, groundwater activities and related surface water discharge activities – Law & Religion UK

‘On 29 September, Defra announced a consultation on proposed amendments to the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 as they apply to groundwater activities and some related surface water discharges.’

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Law & Religion UK, 24th November 2021

Source: lawandreligionuk.com

UK legal group warns of information blackout on sewage discharges – The Guardian

Posted November 23rd, 2021 in disclosure, environmental health, news, waste, water, water companies by sally

‘A legal action group is warning there may be an information blackout on sewage discharges by water companies for years, after the Environment Agency announced an inquiry into more than 2,000 sites.’

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The Guardian, 22nd November 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com