Water-polluting substances; accident report to the police or fire department
Brief description
Accidents involving substances hazardous to water can, for example, lead to the death of fish or contaminate soil and groundwater. They must be reported immediately to the police or the fire department (emergency call 110 or 112). The fire department will then take immediate measures to avert the danger.
Description
According to Section 62 (3) of the German Federal Water Act (WHG), substances hazardous to water are solid, liquid and gaseous substances that are capable of causing permanent or significant adverse changes to water quality.
If such substances escape in the event of an accident, they can lead to water pollution either via the direct route into a body of water or via seepage through the ground.
In the event of accidents involving substances hazardous to water, the municipal fire departments (volunteer fire departments and professional fire departments) carry out the municipalities' duty to avert danger in the event of accidents in accordance with Art. 1 of the Bavarian Fire Brigade Act (BayFwG).
It is therefore necessary to inform the fire department or police as quickly as possible in the event of such accidents. It is not only the plant operator who is legally obliged to notify, but also the person who fills or empties, decommissions, dismantles or removes, maintains, repairs, cleans, monitors or inspects a plant (see Section 24 (2) of the Ordinance on Installations Handling Substances Hazardous to Water - AwSV).Provide as much detailed information as possible, in particular about the location and time of the accident and the type and quantity of substances released.
The fire department operations center or police station then takes over the alerting of other authorities such as the district administration, municipality, water management office.
Deadlines
Please inform the fire department or police immediately.
Legal basis
- Act on the Regulation of the Water Resources (Water Resources Act - WHG)
- Bavarian Water Act (BayWG)
- § Section 4 Act on the Protection against Harmful Soil Changes and the Remediation of Contaminated Sites (Federal Soil Protection Act - BBodSchG)
"Duties to avert danger"
- Art. 57 Municipal Code for the Free State of Bavaria (Gemeindeordnung - GO)
Tasks within the company's own sphere of activity
- Art. 1 and 4 of the Bavarian Fire Service Act (BayFwG)
- Bavarian Civil Protection Act (BayKSG)
- Ordinance on Installations for Handling Substances Hazardous to Water (AwSV)