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Environmental Information Regulations (EIR)
The Environmental Information Regulations 2004 (EIR) apply to public authorities and those bodies carrying out a public function. The regulations allow people to make a request for environmental information through any form of contact (written, verbal, minicom etc...). Any request for environmental information held by or on behalf of a public authority, or a body carrying out a public function, must be dealt with under the EIR.
The regulations are the responsibility of the Information Commissioner’s Office. Further details can be found at www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk
To send in a request or to find out more, use the links below:
Most of the information we publish can be found on this website by clicking on 'Quick Jump' at the top of this page and scrolling down to 'Publications'.
A request for Environmental Information can be refused where there is an exception to disclosure and the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in its disclosure. The exceptions are:
a) Information is not held when the request is received b) The request is unreasonable c) The request is too general d) Information comprises incomplete data or is intended for future publication e) The request involves the disclosure of internal communications f) Information requested includes personal data where the requestor is not the data subject, in specified circumstances g) Disclosure would adversely affect:
i) international relations, defence, national security and public safety;
ii) the course of justice, the ability to receive a fair trial or the ability to conduct a criminal or disciplinary inquiry;
iii) intellectual property rights;
iv) confidentiality of proceedings provided by law;
v) commercial or industrial confidentiality;
vi) the interests of a person providing environmental information where there is no legal obligation on the person to disclose the information supplied, they did not supply it in circumstances that entitles disclosure by the public authority apart from the EIR, and the person has not consented to disclosure.
vii) protection of the environment.
However, exceptions iv, v, vi and vii do not apply when the requested information applies to emissions.
Requests can be made by anyone and can be in writing, by telephone, in person, by e-mail or other means of communication.
It will help us to process the request more efficiently if you state that it is in connection with EIR when making it and give and indication of the purpose to which the information may be put.
It is open to the person making the request to ask for information to be provided in a specific format, such as a paper copy, electronically or to inspect information.
You can make a request for information by contacting us in one of the ways outlined below:
1) send a letter by writing to: EIR Request. Corporate Responsibility Services, Three Valleys Water PLC, London Road, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire, WD3 1LB
If the information cannot be provided to you, for example if the information requested does not exist or if it is considered to be held by another public authority or there is an exception to disclosure, you will be contacted.
When making a request for information please include the following details:
The information you would like to access
The format you would prefer – ie: paper, electronic, inspection at Three Valleys Water offices (by appointment)
Your name and address / telephone number so that you can be contacted
The EIR allow us to make a reasonable charge for providing environmental information though you will not have to pay for:
information available on the Three Valleys Water website
copies of any publication e.g. leaflets or reports that are already available from Three Valleys Water
inspecting public registers or examining information at Three Valleys Water offices
In certain circumstances we have the discretion to ask for a charge in order to research and provide the information to fulfil a request for environmental information. The following fees will be advised prior to the work commencing:
£250 (+ VAT) for up to 5 hours work to cover administration, research and report delivery
£50 per hour (+ VAT) for any additional work required
Once you have submitted an EIR request form, our team will evaluate this and provide you with a quote for the total job. To make payment you can use a credit/debit card over the phone or if your enquiry is not urgent, you can choose to receive an invoice and send us a cheque in the post. All charges are payable in advance before the work can begin so your request will be dealt with within 20 days of cleared payment being received.
If you made a request but you do not feel that Three Valleys Water dealt with it in accordance with the EIR, you have the right to register a complaint as follows:
