Sewerage

licensing England_Wales Ongoing

Appointment and economic regulation as a sewerage undertaker

Enforced by: OFWAT

Water Industry Act 1991

In England and Wales, sewerage services are provided by undertakers appointed and economically regulated by Ofwat (the Water Services Regulation Authority) under the Water Industry Act 1991. Undertakers operate under an instrument of appointment with binding conditions on charging, service standards and performance. Scotland: Scottish Water under the Sewerage (Scotland) Act 1968 and Water Services etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 (licensed providers regulated by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland). NI: NI Water under the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (regulated by the Utility Regulator). Note that SIC 37.00 also captures smaller, non-undertaker operators (cesspool/septic-tank emptying, drain and sewer maintenance, portable-toilet servicing) for whom undertaker appointment does not apply; their core obligations are the discharge/waste controls and the cross-cutting universals below.

permit England_Wales Ongoing

Environmental permit for discharge of treated effluent / sewage

Enforced by: ENVIRONMENT_AGENCY

Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016

Discharging treated effluent or sewage to surface water or groundwater is a water discharge activity requiring an environmental permit. England: Environment Agency; Wales: Natural Resources Wales (same 2016 Regulations). Scotland: a CAR licence (Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011) from SEPA. NI: a discharge consent / permit from NIEA under the Water and Sewerage Services (NI) Order 2006 and the Water (NI) Order 1999. Permit conditions set numeric limits on flow and pollutant concentrations; breach is a criminal offence.

compliance England_Wales Ongoing

Urban waste water treatment standards

Enforced by: ENVIRONMENT_AGENCY

Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994

Sets minimum collection and treatment standards for urban waste water by agglomeration size, with stricter treatment in designated sensitive areas. England: Environment Agency; Wales: Natural Resources Wales. Devolved equivalents: Urban Waste Water Treatment (Scotland) Regulations 1994 (SEPA); Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007 (NIEA).

compliance Great_Britain Ongoing

Sewage sludge use in agriculture

Enforced by: ENVIRONMENT_AGENCY

Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989

Spreading sewage sludge on agricultural land is controlled: the producer must test and treat the sludge, test the receiving soil, keep records and limit heavy-metal loadings. Extent is England, Wales and Scotland; enforced by the Environment Agency (England), Natural Resources Wales and SEPA (Scotland). Sludge spreading is also commonly regulated under the environmental permitting / waste regime alongside these Regulations.

compliance Great_Britain Ongoing

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 — general duties

Enforced by: HSE

Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

General duty to protect employees and others affected by the business. Sewerage work carries acute occupational risks — confined spaces (treatment tanks, sewers), biological hazards and toxic gases — engaging the Confined Spaces Regulations 1997 and COSHH 2002 in particular.

insurance Great_Britain Annual

Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance)

Enforced by: HSE

Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969

Required for any business employing at least one person.

registration Uk Annual

UK GDPR + Data Protection Act 2018

Enforced by: ICO

Data Protection Act 2018; UK GDPR (retained EU law)

Sewerage undertakers process extensive personal data (billing accounts, customer and employee records). ICO data protection fee payable unless exempt.

compliance Great_Britain Ongoing

Equality Act 2010 — protected characteristics

Enforced by: EHRC

Equality Act 2010

No discrimination in employment or in the provision of services to the public across the nine protected characteristics.

compliance England_Wales Ongoing

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

Enforced by: LOCAL_FIRE_AUTHORITY

Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005

The 'responsible person' must carry out a fire risk assessment and maintain fire safety arrangements at treatment works, pumping stations and office premises. Devolved variants: Fire (Scotland) Act 2005; Fire and Rescue Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.