Guidance

OpenOpen-loop loop heat pump systems: applypermits, toconsents installand onelicences

The environmental permit, consent and licence you may need before you install a ground source or surface water source heating or cooling system.

From:
Environment Agency and Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published
1 February 2016
Last updated
224 OctoberMarch 20232022 — See all updates

Applies to England

You may need to get consent, a permit and a licence from the Environment Agency before you can install either:

  • an openopen-loop loop ground source
  • a or surface water source heating and cooling system
system.

These systems pump water from beneath the ground or from nearby rivers, canals, lakes or the sea. They use the water to heat or cool buildings before reintroducing it to the ground or surface water.water body.

If you want to install one of these systems,systems youyou’ll will need:

  • groundwater investigation consent –(if if you’re going to drill for a ground source schemescheme)
  • an abstraction licence –(unless ifthe youvolume areof takingwater moreabstracted is less than 20 cubic metres per dayday)
  • an environmental permit to discharge the water or(or a registered exemption from this requirement –if unless you meet the criteria for a low risk activityactivity)
  • an environmental permit for flood risk activities or ordinary watercourse consent –(if if you’re carrying out works near a watercourse, a flood defence or a sea defencedefence)

YouA doclosed-loop heat exchanger does not need groundwater investigation consentconsent, an abstraction licence, or an abstractionenvironmental licencepermit or exemption for the discharge.

There’s separate guidance for deep geothermal systems.

If you want to build a closedlarger loopsystem heat(for exchanger.example, Butfor froma 2group Octoberof 2023homes) you may need an environmental permit foror theneed discharge.to Checkconsider permit requirements in your design. Contact the guidanceEnvironment onAgency closedif loopyou schemesneed toadvice.

Have finda outpre-application whatdiscussion

If you plan to do.install an open-loop heat pump system and want advice or help with your application, you should have a pre-application discussion with the Environment Agency.

There’sFind separateout guidanceabout pre-application advice for deepwater geothermalabstraction systemslicences.

Apply

Find out about pre-application advice for environmental permits.

Get groundwater investigation consent

IfYou youneed want to abstractapply groundwater,to youthe mustEnvironment applyAgency for consent to investigate a groundwater source before you drill or test pump any abstraction boreholes. This consent allows you to find out what water is available and ifwhether it’s suitable for your needs.

You will need this consent before you can apply for an abstraction licence or environmental permit for a ground source scheme. It usually takes several months from starting the consent process to getting approval for an abstraction licence, but it may take up to a year.

To apply for groundwater investigation consent you need:

  • your or your company’s details
  • the grid reference or a location map showing where you want to drill
  • the proposed volume, rate and when you plan to use the water (for example summer only, winter only or all year round)
  • details of the borehole, well or excavation you want to create
  • a planning application number (if appropriate)

You must make sure boreholes, wells and excavations are designed, constructed and decommissioned in such a way that prevents groundwater pollution.

If the system you want to install allows for the reversal of flow (so that the discharge point becomes a point of abstraction),abstraction) youyou’ll will need groundwater investigation consent for all boreholes.

Contact the Environment Agency to apply for groundwater investigation consent.

You also need to inform the British Geological Survey before you drill any new boreholes.

Apply for an abstraction licence

You need an abstraction licence if you want to abstract (remove) more than 20 cubic metres per day from either surface water or groundwater.

If your system doesalso notrequires require an environmental permit for the discharge,discharge you can apply for aan separateenvironmental permit and an abstraction licence using waterform resources application forms Part A, Part B, Part C and Part EB8.

If your system alsodoes requiresnot anrequire environmentala discharge permit for the discharge, you can apply for ana environmentalseparate permitabstraction licence.

Read the form and ancontact abstractionthe licenceEnvironment usingAgency forms:

before you apply.

If the system you’re installing allows for the reversal of flow (so that the discharge point becomes a point of abstraction):

  • abstraction) the abstraction licence covers the abstraction requirements of all boreholes
  • you may need a permit for the discharge to all boreholes
boreholes.

Charges for an abstraction licence

YouIf mustyour paycircumstances anor applicationneed charge:

  • to apply for awater new licence
  • for some changes (variations) to an existing licence

You will also usually need to pay an annual charge (called a ‘subsistence’ charge) once you holdhave a full abstraction licence.

Use the guidance on the charges for water resources licences to work out your applicationlicence, chargeyou andcan annualapply charge (where required). You may have to payvary additionalor chargesrevoke during the assessment of your applicationabstraction (determination) if the Environment Agency need to carry out extra work. For example, completing conservation assessments.licence.

Ground source openopen-loop loop heat pump systems: exemptions from environmental permits to discharge

YouYou’re may be exempt from needing an environmental permit tofor dischargethe discharge, but must register your exemption, if you have a ground source heating and cooling system that’s any of the following:

  • a cooled aquifer system with a volume of less than 1,500 cubic metres per day
  • a balanced system with a volume of less than 430 cubic metres per day
  • a heated aquifer system with a volume of less than 215 cubic metres per day

CheckSee the exemption form and guidance notes for morefurther detaildetails on these systems.

ButYou you must registeralso your exemption. And you must be able to meet the conditions of the exemption.

Conditions of the exemption

To be eligible for the exemption,exemption all of the following conditions must all apply.

The system:

  • will discharge water at a temperature that will not goexceed above 25°C and will not vary by more than 10°C compared to that in the aquifer from which it was abstracted
  • is not on a known contaminated site or one where contaminating activities used to take place – contact your local council to find this out
  • will abstract and discharge within the same aquifer

The water within the system:

  • will not have anything added to it – for example additives used for descaling
  • will not be used for any other purpose

The system will not discharge water within any of the following:

  • 50 metres of a watercourse or a groundwater-fed wetland (for example site of special scientific interest) – contact the Environment Agency or your local councilauthority to find this out
  • 50 metres of any groundwater abstraction (for example borehole, well or spring) used for any purpose
  • a groundwater source protection zone 1 (SPZ1) that’s used to supply water for domestic or food production purposes

You will need to check with the owners of neighbouring properties to find out if they have a private water supply or other type of abstraction.

YouIf you cannot meet these conditions you need to apply for a bespoke permit.

This exemption is just for the environmental permit ifand you cannotmust meetstill theseapply conditions.for an abstraction licence and groundwater investigation consent.

Register your exemption

FillDownload and fill in the registration form followingand the form guidance.guidance.

Email Sendyour itcompleted form to thePSC-WaterQuality@environment-agency.gov.uk.

Or addressyou oncan thepost form.it to:

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Surface dowater notopen-loop needheat topump applysystems for ana environmentalsingle permitdomestic to discharge the water if:

property

  • If you have a small surface water openopen-loop loop heat pump system

  • you canand comply with the conditions in this guidance
you do not need to apply for an environmental permit to discharge the water.

That’sYou because,do not currently need a discharge permit under these specific circumstances,circumstances because the Environment Agency considers it to be low risk and has createdissued this regulatory position statement (RPS).

Activity and conditions you must comply with

This RPS covers the discharge from a small surface water openopen-loop loop heat pump system provided:

  • the system is used to heat or cool a single domestic property
  • the water is abstracted from, and discharged to, the same surface water bodybody, – for example a river or stream, and not a lake or pond
  • cleaning chemicals are not discharged to the surface water
  • the property is not used for commercial purposes

You still need an abstraction licence if your system uses more than 20 cubic metres per day.

If your surface water system does not meet these criteria, check if you can apply for a standard rules permit. If you cannot then you must apply for a bespoke permit.

Comply with this RPS

This RPS means that the Environment Agency will not normally take enforcement action against you if you have not applied for a permit, provided:

  • your activity meets the description set out in this RPS
  • you comply with the conditions set out in this RPS
  • your activity does not (and is not likely to) cause environmental pollution or harm human health

When to check back

This RPS will be reviewed in February 2024.

YouYou’ll will need to check back then to see ifwhether the RPSstatement still applies or if you need to apply for a permit.

Standard rules water discharge permits for surface water systems

You may be able to apply for a standard rules permit if you discharge up to 1000 cubic metres of water a day from your heat pump system to surface water.

Applying for a standard rules water discharge permit is usually quicker and may cost less than a bespoke permit.

You must be able to comply with all the conditions of the permit.

YouIf must apply for a bespoke permit if you do not meet the conditions for the standard rules permit you must apply for a bespoke permit.

Before you apply for a standard rules water discharge permit

YouBefore you apply for a standard rules permit you need to:

  • read the permit conditions to make sure you can comply with them
  • check if you need a conservation risk assessment before you submit your permit application
  • read the generic risk assessment so you can understand the potential risks and make sure you manage them effectively
  • read the instructions in the application form and form guidance below
  • check you meet the legal operator requirements
  • check how to control and monitor your emissions –- but you do not need to submit any emissions information as part of a standard rules permit application
  • develop a management system –(a a written set of procedures that identifies and minimises the risks of pollutionpollution)

Contact the Environment Agency if you want advice or help with your application.

Apply for a standard rules water discharge permit

Download and fill in forms:

FindEmail outyour about:completed forms to PSC-WaterQuality@environment-agency.gov.uk.

.

Fees and charges for a standard rules water discharge permit

You must pay an application fee whenof you£813.

You apply.must send payment with your application.

If your application is successful, you must also pay a yearly charge (known as the ‘subsistence’ fee) while you have a permit.

You mayThe qualifysubsistence forfee ais lower£726.

If yearly charge if you have a thermal heat exchanger.

Useexchanger theyou guidancemay onqualify environmentalfor permits:a whenlower andsubsistence howfee youof are£129. chargedContact the Environment Agency to workfind out your:

  • applicationif charge
  • yearlyyour charge
discharge meets the conditions.

Find out more about fees and charges. You can contact the Environment Agency iffor you need help workingto work out howyour much to pay.fee.

When to apply for a bespoke discharge permit

You must apply for a bespoke permit for the discharge if you have an open loop:open-loop:

  • ground source system that is not exempt
  • surface water system that does not meet the conditions of the regulatory position statement or the standard rules permit

Apply jointly for an environmental permit and an abstraction licence using forms:

Get advice or help with your application

If you plan to install an open loop heat pump system, you contact the Environment Agency’s:

When to apply for an environmental permit for a flood risk activity

You must apply for an environmental permit for a flood risk activity if any part of your planned scheme involves construction:

  • in, under, over or near a main river (including where the river is in a culvert)
  • on or near a flood defence on a main river or set back remotely from it
  • in the flood plain of a main river
  • on or near a sea defence

You need a permit for both permanent and temporary work. There is a fee for an application.

Use the flood map for planning to check if your activity is on or near a main river or an ordinary watercourse.

If you’re carrying out work to an ordinary watercourse rather than a main river, you do not need an environmental permit for flood risk activities. You may need to apply for a land drainage consent from either your:

Comply with your abstraction licence or environmental permit for discharge

After you’ve been granted your licencepermit oryou’ll permit, you will need to comply with theirits conditions.

Find out how to:

.

Change, transfer or cancel your licence or permit

IfAfter youryou circumstanceshave oryour needpermit, for water changes, you can:

  • change (vary) the details on it
  • transfer it to someone else
  • cancel (surrender(surrender) or revoke) it

Find out how to:

Published 1 February 2016
Last updated 224 OctoberMarch 20232022 + show all updates

  1. Updated the guide to give the requirements that apply from 2 October 2023.

  2. Updated the 'Surface water open-loop heat pump systems for a single domestic property' section to extend the the regulatory position statement (RPS) this contains. We will next review this RPS in February 2024.

  3. Updated the fees and charges for a standard rules water discharge permit.

  4. RPS extended to December 2019.

  5. Flood defence consents are now called environmental permits for flood risk activities.

  6. First published.

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