25.—(1) A river basin management plan must—
(a)relate to such period as the Department may determine, except in the case of a single plan for an international river basin district where it shall relate to such period as the Department may determine in consultation with the relevant competent authority in the Republic of Ireland;
(b)include the information specified in the relevant provisions of the Directive, the Groundwater Directive (as transposed by regulation 11 of the Groundwater Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009(1)) and the EQS Directive (as transposed by regulations 22, 24 and 26 of the Water Framework Directive (Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015(2)) specified in paragraphs (2) to (4);
(c)in relation to any shellfish water protected area, include the information required by paragraph (2)(d) in relation to protected areas.
(2) The relevant provisions of the Directive are—
(a)Article 9(2) and (4) (recovery of the costs of water services);
(b)Annex II, point 1.3(vi) (exclusion of elements from the assessment of ecological status);
(c)the following provisions of Annex V—
(i)points 1.3 and 1.3.4 (confidence and precision in monitoring surface water);
(ii)point 2.4.1 (confidence and precision in monitoring groundwater); and
(iii)points 2.4.5 and 2.5 (presentation of monitoring results for groundwater);
(d)Annex VII, Parts A and B (elements to be covered in river basin management plans).
(3) The relevant provisions of the Groundwater Directive are—
(a)Article 3(5) and (6) (the threshold values and revisions to them);
(b)Article 4(4) (summary of assessment of groundwater chemical status);
(c)Article 5(4) and (5) (trend assessment and starting points);
(d)Annex II Part C (how groundwater threshold values have been set);
(e)Annex III, point 5 (maps showing exceedances).
(4) The relevant provisions of the EQS Directive are—
(a)Article 3(5) (information about monitoring and analysis, including alternative matrices);
(b)Article 4(2) (information relating to mixing zones);
(c)Article 5(4) (updated inventories);
(d)Article 6(2) (transboundary pollution).