Environmental compliance for manufacturers
- 1 step
Northern Ireland Statutory Rule
2017
Northern Ireland
Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017
At a glance
Enforced by
What's here
4 practical guides across 2 topics · 2 journeys
Step-by-step journeys using this legislation
Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.
Water Framework Directive compliance for businesses
- 6 steps
Relevant guidance
Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.
Direct — cites this Act
1 guidesMentioned in related content
3 guidesWhat 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.
Part 1 — Introductory
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Citation, commencement and application
Interpretation
Duties on Departments
Part 2 — River basin districts and water bodies
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
River basin district and international river basin districts
Characterisation of river basin district and international river basin districts
Classification of water bodies
Economic analysis of water use in river basin district and international river basin districts
Part 3 — Protected areas
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Bodies of water used for the abstraction of drinking water
Designation of shellfish waters
Register of protected areas
Part 4 — Monitoring
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Monitoring programmes
Part 5 — Environmental Objectives and Programme of Measures
Browse 12 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Procedure for setting environmental objectives and programmes of measures
The environmental objectives
Environmental objectives: application of regulations 15 to 19
Designation of bodies of surface water as artificial or heavily modified bodies of surface water
Extended deadlines for environmental objectives
Setting less stringent objectives
Natural causes or force majeure
Modifications to physical characteristics of water bodies
Content of programmes of measures
Implementation of programme of measures
Action where environmental objectives unlikely to be achieved
Recovery of costs for water service and provision of incentives for efficient water use
Part 6 — River Basin Management Plans
Browse 7 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Application of this Part
River basin management plans: content
Review of river basin management plans
River basin management plans: public participation
River basin management plans: publication
Supplementary plans
River basin management plans: duties on public bodies
Part 7 — General
Browse 8 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
Publication of information
Provision of information and assistance by public bodies
Guidance to public bodies
Revocations
The Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1997 are...
The Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009...
Transitional provision
Consequential amendments
Schedules
Browse 49 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
(1) In the definitions in paragraph (2) (which derive from...
The Lough Neagh Drainage Acts (Northern Ireland) 1955 and 1970...
The Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990 ....
The Surface Waters (Abstraction for Drinking Water) (Classification) Regulations (Northern...
The Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil)...
The Anti-Pollution Works Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 .
The Landfill Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 .
The Waste Management Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 .
The Protection of Water Against Agricultural Nitrate Pollution Regulations (Northern...
The Water Resources (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005...
The Water Abstraction and Impoundment (Licensing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006...
The Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 ....
Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 .
The Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 ....
The Quality of Bathing Water Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008 ....
The Environmental Liability (Prevention and Remediation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009...
Part 4 of the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009...
The Private Water Supply Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 .
The Water Environment (Floods Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 ....
The Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009 .
The Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010...
The Pollution Prevention and Control (Industrial Emissions) Regulations (Northern Ireland)...
The Nitrates Action Programme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 .
Section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 .
The Phosphorus (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014 ....
The Water Framework Directive (Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters)...
The Drainage (Northern Ireland) (Order) 1973 .
Part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985...
Part II of the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland)...
The Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 .
The Environment (Northern Ireland) Order 2002 .
The Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 ....
Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste-water treatment as last amended...
Directive 2011/92/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council...
Directive 2012/18/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council...
Council Directive 91/676/EEC concerning the protection of waters against pollution...
Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats of...
Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for...
Directive 2006/7/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
Directive 2006/118/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
Directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
Directive 2009/147/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council...
Directive 2010/75/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council...
The Water Framework Directive (Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015
The Water Environment (Floods Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Marine Strategy Regulations 2010
The Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009
The Quality of Bathing Waters (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2008
The Chemical Analysis of Water Status (Technical Specifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011
Other sections — not classified into a Part
These sections exist in the Act but the contents-of-Parts walker did not place them under a Part. Likely amendments or sections inserted out of the original Part structure.
Browse 18 other unclassified sections
A reference to the Directive, or to any provision of...
When interpreting the Directive for the purposes of these Regulations—...
Article 2(24) is to be read as if, for the...
Article 3 is to be read as if—
Article 4 is to be read as if—
Article 7(2) is to be read as if—
Article 10 were omitted.
Article 11(3) is to be read as if—
Article 12 were omitted.
In Article 13— (a) paragraph 2 is to be read...
Article 15 is to be read as if—
Article 24 were omitted.
Annex 1 were omitted.
Annex 2 is to be read as if—
Annex 4 is to be read as if—
Annex 5 is to be read as if—
Annex 6 is to be read as if Part A...
Annex 7 is to be read as if, in Part...
Official guidance
Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.
- Water (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Water environment hub (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- En (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Catchment planning (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- River basin management plans updated 2022 (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Scotland car water activity licensing (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Trade effluent consent (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Water discharge permit (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
- Water abstraction licence (opens in a new tab) Detailed Guidance
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, …
Connected legislation
parent Act
These instruments amend, apply, or refer to this Act. They may not all create direct business obligations.
Made under
Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 1999 Primary Act
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Regulators
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