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Reporting 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) or if you are concerned about illegal dumping, contact your local council.

Contacting the NIEA

The NIEA deals with various sources of pollution including those impacting land or waterways which have harmed, or could harm, the environment. The 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.

If you have any concerns about water pollution in your local area, or want to report a water pollution incident, you should contact the NIEA.

The NIEA maintains a 24 hour, 365 days a year water pollution hotline:

  • Telephone 0800 807060

or you can email emergency-pollution@doeni.gov.uk

If you have concerns that activities may have resulted in pollution or contamination of land or water you can also notify the NIEA by calling our offices during office hours (9.00am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday)

  • Telephone - 028 9056 9353

Regulation of water discharges

The Department of Environment must give its consent before trade or sewage waste, or any other polluting substance can be discharged into waterways, or underground strata (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 visitthe NIEA website at

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 notify your local council’s Environmental Health Department.