Report polluted land and water
If you have concerns about contamination or pollution of land or waterways in your local area, you should contact the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA). If you are concerned about illegal dumping, contact your local council.
Contacting NIEA
NIEA deals with various sources of pollution, including those impacting land or waterways which have harmed or could harm the environment.
NIEA has good working relationships with other local and regional organisations dealing with pollution, including the emergency services and those responsible for emergency planning in central and local government.
Reporting water pollution
If you have any concerns about water pollution in your local area or want to report a water pollution incident, call the NIEA incident hotline on:
- phone: 0800 80 70 60
It is available year-round, 24 hours a day.
NIEA also has a dedicated emergency pollution email address for reporting pollution issues in Northern Ireland that are not urgent and do not need immediate attention:
Consent for water discharges
The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) must give its consent before trade or sewage waste, or other polluting substance can be discharged into waterways, or underground layers (including site drainage liable to contamination) from commercial, industrial or domestic premises.
For information on how to apply for discharge consent for either a domestic or commercial property, visit the DAERA website:
Note: the issue of a consent is not guaranteed in all circumstances. It is recommended you do not start construction until the consent is in place.
Contacting your local district council
If you have concerns about illegal dumping in your area, you can report it to your local district council.
If you are aware of other activities which may have resulted in land being affected by contamination, you can tell your local council’s Environmental Health Department.