Leith Business Association

10 Protection of the Water Environment

10.1 Waste Water and Run-off

(a) The Contractor shall prepare and implement a Construction Site Drainage Plan (the Plan) in consultation with SEPA. The Plan shall include measures to ensure that surface water runoff is contained and managed appropriately and that appropriate measures are taken to respond to inundation of the site. Sustainable Drainage (SuDS) measures shall be included within the works where reasonably practicable and applicable, in accordance with the guidance in:

• Interim Code of Practice for SuDSu (CIRIA 2004);
• Sustainable Urban Drainage System – Design Manual for Scotland and Northern Ireland
• (CIRIA C521);
• Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems – Best Practice Manual (CIRIA C523).

(b) There shall be no washout from temporary construction laydown and storage areas into local watercourses.

(c) No water containing silt shall be pumped directly into watercourses but shall be stored in settlement lagoons or tanks, or filtered prior to discharge, or discharged onto a grassy area to soak away, or discharged to foul sewer.

(d) Waste water and site discharges to surface water or sewer shall only be permitted where the effluent quality and discharge location is acceptable to SEPA or Scottish Water (as appropriate). COPA discharge consent shall be obtained if required prior to discharge.

(e) The Contractor shall ensure that all treatment facilities are regularly inspected and maintained and that a full record is kept of inspection, maintenance and other measures to maintain equipment performance.

(f) Approval from SEPA shall be obtained prior to any excavation below the water table, including any site de-watering and discharge. Application for prior approval must be made at least two weeks in advance of the relevant works commencing. Cut-off ditches may be used to prevent water from entering excavations.

(g) The Contractor shall comply with BS 6031: 1981 Code of Practice for Earthworks, regarding the general control of site drainage is so far as these are applicable to the construction works.

(h) The Contractor shall ensure that areas of exposed ground and stockpiles are minimised to reduce silty runoff. Geotextiles or other equivalent measures shall be used where necessary to prevent silty run-off from soil mounds close to watercourses.

(i) The Contractor shall ensure that any water that has come into contact with contaminated materials is disposed of in accordance with the requirements of SEPA or Scottish Water (as appropriate).

(j) The Contractor shall take suitable precautions to prevent the entry of pollutants into any bodies of water and report any incidents to SEPA.and Scottish Water

(k) Procedures for responding to potentially polluting incidents or inundation of the site by floodwaters shall be implemented in accordance with SEPA Guidance (see Section 10.6).