Guidance
Position statements
These set out our approach to particular issues that arise during the regulatory process:
- WAT-PS-06-08: Policy and supporting guidance on provision of waste water drainage in settlements
(90kb) - WAT-PS-10-01: Assigning groundwater assessment criteria for pollutant inputs (1.4Mb)
- WAT-PS-10-02: Assigning groundwater assessment criteria for pollutant inputs This applies from 1 February 2025
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List of groundwater standards This applies from 1 February 2025.
Sewage guidance
- Private sewage treatment registration guidance
- How to apply for a licence to discharge sewage effluent
- Hydrogeological guidance to apply for a licence to discharge effluent to soakaway
Regulatory methods
These set out the process SEPA follows when assessing applications for pollution control:
- WAT-RM-05: Regulation of trade effluent discharges to surface waters (377kb)
- WAT-RM-06: Regulation of trade effluent discharges to groundwater (339kb)
- WAT-RM-07: Sewer overflows
- WAT-RM-08: Regulation of sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDS) (217kb)
- WAT-RM-12: Regulation of discharges from water treatment works (179kb)
- WAT-RM-13: Microbial Discharges
- WAT-RM-21: Allocation of capacity and protection of the water environment (378kb) [Ex-no deterioration and allocation of capacity]
- WAT-RM-33: Disposals to land: new applications (298kb)
- WAT-RM-37: Regulation of phosphorus discharges to freshwater lochs (321kb)
- WAT-RM-40: Assessment of numeric discharge quality conditions (for CAR, UWWTD, IPC and PPC compliance) (336kb) [Ex-"Compliance assessment"]
- WAT-RM-46: Regulation of animal carcass burial (614kb)
SEPA supporting guidance
Documents produced for SEPA staff, which we have made publicly available, and documents published by SEPA specifically for external use:
- WAT-SG-02: Modelling methods for surface water discharges (1.24mb)
- WAT-SG-03: Data Analysis and River Quality Planning Model (2.3mb)
- WAT-SG-05: Point source discharge constituents (131kb)
- WAT-SG-11: Modelling discharges to coastal and transitional waters (202kb)
- WAT-SG-12: GBR for Water Run-off and Discharges into Surface Water Drainage Systems (491kb)
- WAT-SG-13: Municipal sewage treatment works (STW)
- WAT-SG-14: Waste sheep dip and pesticide disposal to land (152kb)
- WAT-SG-18: Control of plants in or near to water (767kb)
- WAT-SG-22: Disposal to land - Review form and control report (Completion guidance) - Archived This information is now available in SEARS-SG-001.
- WAT-SG-39: Point source regime definitions - The content of this document is now included in the CAR practical guide.
- WAT-SG-41: Discharge of chlorinated effluents (154kb)
- WAT-SG-42: Communications protocol for compliance sampling and reporting between SEPA and Scottish Water (38kb)
- WAT-SG-53: Environmental quality standards for discharges to surface waters (386kb)
- WAT-SG-57: Toxicity screening for discharges (268kb)
- WAT-SG-75: Sector Specific Guidance: Construction Sites
(413kb) - WAT-SG-85: Guidance on Authorising Thermal Discharges (409kb)
- WAT-SG-87: Compliance monitoring for sewer network licences (252kb)
- WAT-SG-91: Decision Framework for addressing risks posed by excess inputs of nutrients
- WAT-SG-94: Oil and Gas Decommissioning Operations
Compliance assessment scheme
- CAS-G-002: Calibration of monitoring and measurement equipment at sewage treatment works
- CAS-G-003: Flow/event monitoring at Scottish Water STWs
- CAS-G-004: Flow recording and reporting at sewage treatment works and on the sewer network
Other supporting guidance:
We have identified these documents as being relevant to CAR applicants:
- Report: Comprehensive studies for the purpose of Article 6 & 8.5 of DIR 91/271 EEC, The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (1.10mb)