FOI release

260327/OC02 Groundwater Information Request - Stansted Airport

This request was refused in part, so we didn't provide some of the information the requester asked for. This may include information where we can neither confirm nor deny that we hold it.

Case reference EIR2026/17045

Received 26 March 2026

Published 14 April 2026

Request

We are undertaking an Environmental Risk Assessment/Desk Study for a proposed development at Stansted Airport.

As part of our preliminary investigation we are carrying out an assessment of potential risks to groundwater at the site. Therefore I would be grateful if you could provide any information relating to the groundwater regime at the site:- (e.g. aquifer(s), groundwater quality, depth, gradient, flow direction, porosity/permeability of aquifer, distance and direction to compliance points, nature of compliance points, monitoring points, location of surface water abstractions and surface water monitoring ponits etc.).

Response

Please find attached a report that our technical team think you will find useful. We have redacted some personal data from the report, see the appendix below for more information.

Information Warnings:

(i) Personal Data in the Information is exempt from the Open Government Licence.

(ii) It is the responsibility of the licensee to ensure that data they hold is accurate and up to date.

Please refer to the Open Government Licence which explains the permitted use of this information.

We also have other links for data that is available online to access yourself, please see below.

• Groundwater level data - https://www.data.gov.uk/search?q=groundwater%2Blevels

• Hydrology Data Explorer 

• Water Environment 

• WFD data 

• Water quality archive 

• Details of aquifers are online - https://data.gov.uk/search?q=aquifer&filters%5Bpublisher%5D=Environment+ Agency&filters%5Btopic%5D=&filters%5Bformat%5D=&sort=best 

• Rain data is available online - https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/water-situation-reports-for-england 

• Climate data is available online as open data - Results for "weather" - data.gov.uk 

• Alternatively, from the Met Office - Weather and climate change - Met Office 

• Water situation reports for England - GOV.UK - (Includes monthly water situation reports and weekly rainfall and river flow reports) 

Appendix  

We are refusing to provide some of the data to prevent identification of the person(s). As this is personal data under the Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018) and to disclose it would breach the First Data Protection Principle of the DPA 2018.  

The information requested is therefore exempt due to Regulation 13(1) of the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, which explains that:

 “To the extent that the information requested includes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject, a public authority must not disclose the personal data if— (a) the first condition is satisfied…

 ”The ‘first condition’ referred to above is further explained in Regulation 13(2A):

 “The first condition is that the disclosure of the information to a member of the public otherwise than under these Regulations— (a) would contravene any of the data protection principles…

”The First Data Protection Principle” requires that we are fair to individuals when we collect, hold and use their personal data. In this case it would be unfair to disclose information that would identify members of staff as those individuals have a reasonable expectation that such information held by the Environment Agency would remain confidential. 

There is no requirement to conduct a public interest test when refusing information on this ground. 

Documents

• Hertfordshire model report_Rev B_Redacted compressed.pdf (45.8 MB)

This is Environment Agency's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.