Water and land quality
Did you know?
Over the next five years we will be investing £4.8 billion in the refurbishment and renewal of Heathrow’s facilities.
Water and land quality
Water quality target for 2007
| Issue | Target | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Water Quality | Review at-source pollution control solutions for reducing aircraft de-icant pollution load in surface run-off water, to meet current and future compliance. | Target achieved |
We fulfilled this target by funding an independent review of aircraft de-icant application and pollution control practices across a range of UK, European and US airports with similar passenger load and climate zones to Heathrow (referred to as a Global Practice Review). The study will help to inform actions in our Water Quality action plan. The review findings were collated and presented as an independent report in December 2007. The study supports our aim to explore options for managing impacts from de-icer run-off and to ensure compliance with future discharge consent limits.
Monitoring
We received no enforcement notices and no legal actions were taken related to our water quality performance during the period 2007.
We routinely monitor surface water around our airport which recorded no breaches in discharge limits in 2007
As well as chemical monitoring, we also have an independent biological monitoring programme which measures the environmental impacts of surface water discharge. Samples of aquatic insects and other invertebrates were collected from sites in Clockhouse Lane Pit, the River Crane and the Wraysbury River during April, July, September and December 2007. Samples from each site are sorted into families and species, counted and statistically analysed.
The spring and summer 2007 sampling in Clockhouse Lane Pit showed a reasonable recovery of aquatic species compared to spring 2006, following contamination from aircraft de-icant that caused widespread depletion of dissolved oxygen in the lake system.
Biological monitoring in the River Crane has shown a relatively consistent biological status of the river over recent years. Scores are generally quite low but this is a reflection of the river’s urban character and the many factors that suppress its ecological potential.
Samples taken downstream from the outfall of Heathrow’s Eastern Balancing Reservoir generally show slightly improved scores compared to those from the upstream location with particular improvements in the summer samples over recent years. This downstream improvement is probably due to better habitat and more aquatic plants that support the invertebrates. The beneficial contribution of summer airport run-off into the river may also be a factor.