Water Quality Permitting - Environment Agency

Water Quality Permitting

Water quality permitting

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Water quality permitting

Join our dedicated Water Quality regime within Permitting as we work to determine the necessary environmental permits for activities that have the potential to pollute, creating a cleaner, safer and healthier environment. Permitting is the foundation of regulation, crucial to the economy, people, and wildlife. Water Quality teams determine applications where discharge activity might affect water quality and surrounding habitats. This includes surface and groundwater discharges, groundwater spreading, dewatering activities and the necessary improvement schemes of water and sewerage companies. We determine often complex applications, carrying out rigorous checks in process such as habitats risk assessments, modelling, consultations, pre-applications and more.

Why the Environment Agency ?


By joining the Environment Agency (EA), you become part of a collective effort to protect and improve the environment in England. Our work addresses national-level issues, ranging from industry regulation to flood defences, land contamination, water quality, fisheries, and conservation. Your work directly contributes to creating a more sustainable and safer environment for all.

The EA’s diverse scope of work necessitates a multi-skilled workforce. Working with us means being part of a team that promotes sustainable growth, tackles climate change, and secures a better future for everyone. Collaboration and interaction allow for a rich and diverse working environment, fostering personal and professional growth.

Available Roles

Senior Permitting Officer

Role Descriptions

As a Senior Permitting Officer within our Water Quality regime, you’ll determine complex applications and deliver pre-application advice for water quality environmental permits.
You’ll play a crucial role in safeguarding the environment, proactively managing a range of permit applications for a wide range of activities including ground and surface water discharges, chemicals, including hazardous pollutants, types of sewage connections and habitats, delivering high quality and risk-based environmental permitting decisions to tight deadlines. You’ll support other Permitting Officers across Permitting using your strong coaching and mentoring skills, collaborate with professionals from various disciplines and engage with permit applicants, ranging from multinational companies and water & sewerage companies to individual householders.
Your work directly contributes to creating a more sustainable and safer environment for all ensuring that permits are in place to enable compliance with EA processes and regulatory obligations. You will therefore need a passion for developing and supporting people and bringing others with you as well as strong knowledge/experience of the sector.

Environment Agency staff working