Urban Waste Water

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC)

The Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive is designed to reduce the pollution of freshwater, estuarine and coastal waters by domestic sewage and industrial wastewater - collectively known as urban waste water. The Directive sets minimum standards for the collection, treatment and discharge of urban wastewater, and also establishes timetables for the achievement of these standards.

The Department is responsible for undertaking the Sensitive Area review process. Lough Erne and Lough Neagh catchments were identified as sensitive in 1994 with Inner Belfast Lough, the tidal River Lagan and the Quoile Pondage at Downpatrick added in 2001.

In addition the 2005 review resulted in the freshwater Foyle; Roe; Faughan; River Lagan; Lower Bann; Enler; Bush and the Newry River catchments, together with the north end of Strangford Lough, Newcastle bathing water and Ardmillan shellfish water being identified on 28/7/06.

Maps of the identifications are available electronically on the Department of the Environment, Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) website.

This Directive seeks to reduce the pollution of freshwater, estuarine and coastal waters by domestic sewage, industrial waste water and surface water runoff. It sets minimum standards for the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water and establishes timetables for the achievement of these standards.