Adopting a risk-based approach to reservoir safety in Scotland

Abstract

There are a number of significant changes which will be undertaken through the phased implementation of the Reservoirs (Scotland) Act 2011, which adopts a risk-based approach to reservoir safety. The implementation of the 2011 Act will introduce a number of key changes and benefits to the industry, including the move to a single regulatory body, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The 2011 Act will require SEPA to assign a risk designation of high, medium or low to each controlled reservoir based on the consequence of an uncontrolled release of water from the reservoir. Until the transitional programme is fully implemented, reservoir safety in Scotland will still be regulated by the local authorities under the Reservoirs Act 1975. Once fully implemented, SEPA will become the regulatory authority for reservoir safety in Scotland and they will help to support the reservoir industry through a suite of guidance documents that offer advice and good practice on how to fulfil the requirements of legislation.