The Urban Waste Water Treatment (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations.)

These Regulations amend the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, (“the principal Regulations”) which transpose Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste water treatment (“the Directive”). The principal Regulations make provision for the identification of sensitive areas and high natural dispersion areas and the regulation of urban waste water collection and treatment.

Regulation 2 amends the principal Regulations by inserting new regulations 3A and 3B. It also contains two consequential revocations.

Paragraphs (1) and (2) of regulation 3A place a duty on the Department to publish a notice of any decision on sensitive areas or areas of high natural dispersion under regulation 3(2) of the principal Regulations in the Belfast Gazette and on its web-site, to deposit maps of the area affected by such a decision at its office in Belfast, and to take such other steps as it considers appropriate to publicise its decision.

Paragraph (3) of regulation 3A specifies that a decision takes effect on the date specified in the Department’s notice published in the Belfast Gazette and continues in force until any subsequent decision changing it takes effect.

Regulation 3B places a duty on the Department to maintain, on its web-site, maps of current sensitive areas and high natural dispersion areas, and the dates on which such areas were identified or ceased to be identified, and to ensure that maps and other information are available at its offices to the public for inspection.