Northern Ireland Statutory Rule
2017
Northern Ireland
These Regulations revoke and replace the Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003 (S.R. 2003/544) (“the 2003 Regulations”). They continue to transpose for Northern Ireland Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy) (OJ No L 327, 22.12.2000, p1) (“the WFD”) and also transpose aspects of Directive 2006/118/EEC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of groundwater against pollution and deterioration (OJ No L 372, 27.12.2006, p19) (“the GWD”) and of Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy (OJ No L 348, 24.12.2008, p84) (the EQSD”).
Show full description ↓
Show less ↑
At a glance
What's here
1 practical guide · 1 journey
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Supporting — topic alignment
1 guides
What this Act requires
Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.
Schedules
Browse 49 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch001
(1) In the definitions in paragraph (2) (which derive from...
s.sch002
The Lough Neagh Drainage Acts (Northern Ireland) 1955 and 1970...
s.sch002
The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990 ....
s.sch002
The Surface Waters (Abstraction for Drinking Water) (Classification) Regulations (Northern...
s.sch002
The Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil)...
s.sch002
The Anti-Pollution Works Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 .
s.sch002
The Landfill Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 .
s.sch002
The Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 .
s.sch002
The Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution Regulations (Northern...
s.sch002
The Water Resources (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005...
s.sch002
The Water Abstraction and Impoundment (Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006...
s.sch002
The Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 ....
s.sch002
Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 .
s.sch002
The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 ....
s.sch002
The Quality of Bathing Water Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 ....
s.sch002
The Environmental Liability (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009...
s.sch002
Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009...
s.sch002
The Private Water Supply Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 .
s.sch002
The Water Environment (Floods Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 ....
s.sch002
The Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 .
s.sch002
The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010...
s.sch002
The Pollution Prevention and Control (Industrial Emissions) Regulations (Northern Ireland)...
s.sch002
The Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 .
s.sch002
Section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 .
s.sch002
The Phosphorus (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 ....
s.sch002
The Water Framework Directive (Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters)...
s.sch002
The Drainage (Northern Ireland) (Order) 1973 .
s.sch002
Part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985...
s.sch002
Part II of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland)...
s.sch002
The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 .
s.sch002
The Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 .
s.sch002
The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 ....
s.sch003
Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste-water treatment as last amended...
s.sch003
Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch003
Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch003
Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution...
s.sch003
Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of...
s.sch003
Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for...
s.sch003
Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch003
Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch003
Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch003
Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch003
Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council...
s.sch004
The Water Framework Directive (Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
s.sch004
The Water Environment (Floods Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
s.sch004
The Marine Strategy Regulations 2010
s.sch004
The Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
s.sch004
The Quality of Bathing Waters (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2008
s.sch004
The Chemical Analysis of Water Status (Technical Specifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
Browse 56 other sections — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.001
Citation, commencement and application
s.003
Duties on Departments
s.004
River basin district and international river basin districts
s.005
Characterisation of river basin district and international river basin districts
s.006
Classification of water bodies
s.007
Economic analysis of water use in river basin district and international river basin districts
s.008
Bodies of water used for the abstraction of drinking water
s.009
Designation of shellfish waters
s.010
Register of protected areas
s.011
Monitoring programmes
s.012
Procedure for setting environmental objectives and programmes of measures
s.013
The environmental objectives
s.014
Environmental objectives: application of regulations 15 to 19
s.015
Designation of bodies of surface water as artificial or heavily modified bodies of surface water
s.016
Extended deadlines for environmental objectives
s.017
Setting less stringent objectives
s.018
Natural causes or force majeure
s.019
Modifications to physical characteristics of water bodies
s.020
Content of programmes of measures
s.021
Implementation of programme of measures
s.022
Action where environmental objectives unlikely to be achieved
s.023
Recovery of costs for water service and provision of incentives for efficient water use
s.024
Application of this Part
s.025
River basin management plans: content
s.026
Review of river basin management plans
s.027
River basin management plans: public participation
s.028
River basin management plans: publication
s.029
Supplementary plans
s.030
River basin management plans: duties on public bodies
s.031
Publication of information
s.032
Provision of information and assistance by public bodies
s.033
Guidance to public bodies
s.035
The Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 are...
s.036
The Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009...
s.037
Transitional provision
s.038
Consequential amendments
Enforcement and responsible bodies
The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.
Northern Ireland Environment Agency
Northern Ireland's environmental regulator. Part of the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). Issues environmental permits, regulates waste and emissions, …
Explore more
Find other UK business legislation with related guidance.
Learn more about the bodies that enforce this legislation.