Apply for a permit to discharge water from a heat exchanger into surface water

Heat exchange systems pump water from rivers, canals, lakes or the sea, use the water to heat or cool buildings, and then discharge it back to rivers, canals, lakes or the sea. They are commonly referred to as ‘open-loop’ systems.

Apply for a new Environmental Permit to discharge water from a heat exchanger into surface water

How to change (vary) an existing Permit to discharge water from a heat exchanger into surface water

There are 2 different types of change that you can make to a permit you already have - an administrative change or a minor change. Each is described below.  If you’re unsure what type of change you’re planning to make we recommend using our pre-application advice service for Environmental Permits.

Administrative variation

Administrative changes are for small corrections or changes to the permit, such as:

• name or address but where the legal entity has not changed
• National Grid Reference to improve accuracy
• typographical errors
• the start date of a permit
• change the outlet location where a new technical assessment is not required

Minor variation

Minor variations are changes which need some technical input from us, for example applications to change the outlet location or make other changes to the permit where a new technical assessment is required.

Find out how to transfer your permit to somebody else

Find out how to give up (surrender) your permit

Fees and charges

You will need to pay an application fee of £5,578 for this standard rules permit.

If you already have a permit and need to make changes (variations) to it, the fees are:

Administrative Change: £363

Minor change: £961

Habitats Assessments fee

If your discharge is near a recognised European habitat site we will need to carry out a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) as part of assessing your permit application.  This will require payment of an additional fee of £2,717.

For more information on when these assessments may be needed please see our web-page ‘Habitat Regulations Assessment for your Environmental Permit’

Environmental Risk Assessments fee

If your discharge into surface water contains hazardous chemicals and elements we may need to complete an Environmental Risk Assessment as part of assessing your permit application. This will require payment of an additional fee of £2,717.

For more information on these hazardous chemicals and elements and when these assessments maybe needed please see our webpage ‘Environmental Risk Assessments for water discharges ’

Applications with insufficient detail to progress

If we return your application due to insufficient detail and so are unable to progress past the application accepted stage, we will retain 10% of the application fee.

We will only return an application after first giving you an opportunity to supply missing information.

If you decide to withdraw your permit application

If you decide to withdraw your permit application after we have accepted it, we will retain 100% of the application fee.

If you decide to withdraw before we’ve progressed from the application accepted stage, we will retain 10% of the application fee.