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There are currently no known outstanding effects for the The Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2007.
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Regulation 3
Commencement Information
I1Sch. 1 Pt. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
A water body must be identified as a sensitive area if it falls into one of the following groups—
(a)natural freshwater lakes, other freshwater bodies, estuaries and coastal waters which are found to be eutrophic or which in the near future may become eutrophic if protective action is not taken. The following elements might be taken into account when considering which nutrient should be reduced by further treatment—
(i)lakes and streams reaching lakes/reservoirs/closed bays which are found to have a poor water exchange, whereby accumulation may take place. In these areas, the removal of phosphorus should be included unless it can be demonstrated that the removal will have no effect on the level of eutrophication. Where discharges from large agglomerations are made, the removal of nitrogen may also be considered;
(ii)estuaries, bays and other coastal waters which are found to have a poor water exchange, or which receive large quantities of nutrients. Discharges from small agglomerations are usually of minor importance in those areas, but for large agglomerations, the removal of phosphorus and/or nitrogen should be included unless it can be demonstrated that the removal will have no effect on the level of eutrophication;
(b)surface fresh waters intended for the abstraction of drinking water which could contain more than [F150mg/l of nitrates in 95% of the samples] if action is not taken;
(c)areas where further treatment than secondary or equivalent treatment is necessary to fulfil [F2retained EU law] .
Textual Amendments
F1Words in Sch. 1 Pt. 1(b) substituted (24.12.2018) by The Environment (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2018 (S.R. 2018/200), reg. 1(1), Sch. 2 para. 4
F2Words in Sch. 1 Pt.1(c) substituted (31.12.2020) by The Water (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/112), regs. 1(1), 5(4); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Commencement Information
I2Sch. 1 Pt. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
A marine water body or area can be identified as a high natural dispersion area if the discharge of waste water does not adversely affect the environment as a result of morphology, hydrology or specific hydraulic conditions which exist in that area.
When identifying high natural dispersion areas, the Department shall take into account the risk that the discharged load may be transferred to adjacent areas where it can cause detrimental environmental effects. The Department shall recognise the presence of sensitive areas outside Northern Ireland (including areas outside the United Kingdom).
The following elements shall be taken into consideration when identifying high natural dispersion areas—
open bays, estuaries and other coastal waters with a good water exchange and not subject to eutrophication or oxygen depletion or which are considered unlikely to become eutrophic or to develop oxygen depletion due to the discharge of urban waste water.
Regulation 6
1. Collecting systems shall take into account waste water treatment requirements.N.I.
Commencement Information
I3Sch. 2 para. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
2. The design, construction and maintenance of collecting systems shall be undertaken in accordance with the best technical knowledge not entailing excessive costs, notably regarding—N.I.
(a)volume and characteristics of urban waste water;
(b)prevention of leaks; and
(c)limitation of pollution of receiving waters due to storm water overflows.
Commencement Information
I4Sch. 2 para. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
Regulations 7, 8 and 13
1. Treatment plants shall be designed or modified so that representative samples of the incoming waste water and of treated effluent can be obtained before discharge to receiving waters.N.I.
Commencement Information
I5Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
2. Discharges from urban waste water treatment plants subject to treatment in accordance with regulation 7(1) and (2) shall, subject to paragraphs 4 and 5 of Part II, meet the requirements shown in Table 1.N.I.
Commencement Information
I6Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
3. Discharges from urban waste water treatment plants to those sensitive areas which are subject to eutrophication as identified in sub-paragraph (a) of Part I of Schedule 1 shall, subject to paragraphs 4 and 5 of Part II, also meet the requirements in Table 2.N.I.
Commencement Information
I7Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 3 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
4. More stringent requirements than those shown in Table 1 and/or Table 2 shall be applied where required to ensure that the receiving waters satisfy [F3retained EU law].N.I.
Textual Amendments
F3Words in Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 4 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Water (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/112), regs. 1(1), 5(5); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Commencement Information
I8Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 4 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
5. The points of discharge of urban waste water shall be chosen, as far as possible, so as to minimize the effects on receiving waters.N.I.
The values for concentration or for the percentage of reduction shall apply.
Parameters | Concentration | Minimum percentage of reduction(001) | Reference method of measurement |
---|---|---|---|
(001) Reduction in relation to the load of the influent. | |||
(002) The parameter can be replaced by another parameter: total organic carbon (TOC) or total oxygen demand (TOD) if a relationship can be established between BOD5, and the substitute parameter. | |||
Analyses concerning discharges from lagooning shall be carried out on filtered samples; however, the concentration of total suspended solids in unfiltered water samples shall not exceed 150 mg/l. | |||
Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5 at 20°C) without nitrification(002) | 25 mg/l O2 | 70-90 | Homogenized, unfiltered, undecanted sample. Determination of dissolved oxygen before and after five-day incubation at 20°C ± 1°C, incomplete darkness. Addition of a nitrification inhibitor. |
Chemical oxygen demand (COD) | 125 mg/l O2 | 75 | Homogenized, unfiltered, undecanted sample Potassium dichromate |
One or both parameters may be applied depending on the local situation. The values for concentration or for the percentage of reduction shall apply.
Parameters | Concentration | Minimum percentage of reduction(003) | Reference method of measurement |
---|---|---|---|
(003) Reduction in relation to the load of the influent. | |||
(004) Total nitrogen means: the sum of total Kjeldahl-nitrogen (organic N + NH3), nitrate (NO3)-nitrogen and nitrite (NO2)-nitrogen. | |||
(005) These values for concentration are annual means as referred to in Schedule 3, Part II, paragraph 4(c). However, the requirements for nitrogen may be checked using daily averages when it is proved, in accordance with Schedule 3, Part II, paragraph 1, that the same level of protection is obtained. In this case, the daily average must not exceed 20 mg/l of total nitrogen for all the samples when the temperature from the effluent in the biological reactor is superior or equal to 12 °C. The conditions concerning temperature could be replaced by a limitation on the time of operation to take account of regional climatic conditions. | |||
Total phosphorus | 2 mg/l P (10,000-100,000 p.e.) 1 mg/1 P (more than 100,000 p.e.) | 80 | Molecular absorption spectrophotometry |
Total nitrogen(004) | 15 mg/1 N (10,000-100,000 p.e.)(005) 10 mg/1 N (more than 100,000 p.e.)(005) | 70-80 | Molecular absorption spectrophotometry |
Commencement Information
I9Sch. 3 Pt. 1 para. 5 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
(a)1.—(a) The Department shall apply a monitoring method which corresponds at least with the level of requirements described below.
(b)Alternative methods to those mentioned in paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 may be used provided it can be demonstrated that equivalent results are obtained.
Commencement Information
I10Sch. 3 Pt. 3 para. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
(a)2.—(a) Flow-proportioned or time-based 24-hour samples shall be collected at the same well-defined point in the outlet and if necessary in the inlet of the treatment plant in order to monitor compliance with the requirements for discharged waste water laid down in these Regulations.
(b)Good international laboratory practices aiming at minimising the degradation of samples between collection and analysis shall be applied.
Commencement Information
I11Sch. 3 Pt. 3 para. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
3. The minimum annual number of samples shall be determined according to the size of the treatment plant and be collected at regular intervals during the year:N.I.
—2,000 to 9,999 p.e.: | 12 samples during the first year; 4 samples in subsequent years, if it can be shown that the water during the first year complies with the provisions of these Regulations; if 1 sample of the 4 fails, 12 samples must be taken in the year that follows; |
—10,000 to 49,999 p.e.: | 12 samples; |
—50,000 p.e. or over: | 24 samples. |
Commencement Information
I12Sch. 3 Pt. 3 para. 3 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
4. The treated waste water shall be assumed to conform to the relevant parameters if, for each relevant parameter considered individually, samples of the water show that it complies with the relevant parametric value in the following way—N.I.
(a)for the parameters specified in Table 1 and sub-paragraph (b) of regulation 7(7), a maximum number of samples which are allowed to fail the requirements, expressed in concentrations and/or percentage reductions in that Table and that sub-paragraph, is specified in Table 3;
(b)for the parameters of Table 1 expressed in concentrations, the failing samples taken under normal operating conditions must not deviate from the parametric values by more than 100%;
(c)for those parameters specified in Table 2 the annual mean of the samples for each parameter shall conform to the relevant parametric values.
Commencement Information
I13Sch. 3 Pt. 3 para. 4 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
5. Extreme values for the water quality in question shall not be taken into consideration when they are the result of unusual situations such as those due to heavy rain.N.I.
Series of samples taken in any year | Maximum permitted number of samples which fail to conform |
---|---|
4-7 | 1 |
8-16 | 2 |
17-28 | 3 |
29-40 | 4 |
41-53 | 5 |
54-67 | 6 |
68-81 | 7 |
82-95 | 8 |
96-110 | 9 |
111-125 | 10 |
126-140 | 11 |
141-155 | 12 |
156-171 | 13 |
172-187 | 14 |
188-203 | 15 |
204-219 | 16 |
220-235 | 17 |
236-251 | 18 |
252-268 | 19 |
269-284 | 20 |
285-300 | 21 |
301-317 | 22 |
318-334 | 23 |
335-350 | 24 |
351-365 | 25 |
Commencement Information
I14Sch. 3 Pt. 3 para. 5 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
Regulation 9
Commencement Information
I15Sch. 4 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
Industrial waste water entering collecting systems and urban waste water treatment plants shall be subject to such pre-treatment as is required in order to—
protect the health of staff working in collecting systems and treatment plants;
ensure that collecting systems, waste water treatment plants and associated equipment are not damaged;
ensure that the operation of the waste water treatment plant and the treatment of sludge are not impeded;
ensure that discharges from the treatment plants do not adversely affect the environment, or prevent receiving water from complying with [F4retained EU law] ; and
ensure that sludge can be disposed of safely in an environmentally acceptable manner.
Textual Amendments
F4Words in Sch. 4 substituted (31.12.2020) by The Water (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 (S.I. 2019/112), regs. 1(1), 5(6); 2020 c. 1, Sch. 5 para. 1(1)
Regulation 10
1. Milk processing.N.I.
Commencement Information
I16Sch. 5 para. 1 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
2. Manufacture of fruit and vegetable products.N.I.
Commencement Information
I17Sch. 5 para. 2 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
3. Manufacture and bottling of soft drinks.N.I.
Commencement Information
I18Sch. 5 para. 3 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
4. Potato processing.N.I.
Commencement Information
I19Sch. 5 para. 4 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
5. Meat industry.N.I.
Commencement Information
I20Sch. 5 para. 5 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
6. Breweries.N.I.
Commencement Information
I21Sch. 5 para. 6 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
7. Production of alcohol and alcoholic beverages.N.I.
Commencement Information
I22Sch. 5 para. 7 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
8. Manufacturer of animal feed from plant products.N.I.
Commencement Information
I23Sch. 5 para. 8 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
9. Manufacture of gelatine and of glue from hides, skin and bones.N.I.
Commencement Information
I24Sch. 5 para. 9 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
10. Malt-houses.N.I.
Commencement Information
I25Sch. 5 para. 10 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
11. Fish-processing industry.N.I.
Commencement Information
I26Sch. 5 para. 11 in operation at 1.4.2007, see reg. 1
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