Regulating Sewage Discharges
Northern Ireland Water Limited
The reform of the water industry in Northern Ireland involved the transfer of responsibility for delivery of water and sewerage services from Water Service, to a government owned company, the Northern Ireland Water Limited (NIW).
Since April 1st, 2007, NIW is responsible for regulating discharges from Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTW) under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999.
Water Order (WO) permissions have been issued to over 1100 waste water treatment works, 30 water treatment works, and 300 sewer systems.
Every permission granted (known as a consent) outlines the required quality and quantity of the discharge into the water environment.
These are drawn-up with a number of factors taken into account, including the requirements of relevant European directives.
Discharges from Water Service installations before April 1st, 2007, were controlled through Registered Discharge Standards,
Water Service, as a government body, historically benefited from crown immunity, with the result that enforcement action was limited to the issue of advisory letters.
These outlined what the non-compliance issue was in given cases and requested an explanation from Water Service as to the reason for non-compliance. It also asked for an action plan to improve quality. This letters are kept on a public register.
However, as a result of the reform of the water industry, NIW will be held fully responsible for non-compliance and any pollution incidents caused by a failure to properly maintain and operate it water infrastructure.
The Water Service Discharges Reports (2001 - 2006)outlines compliance, or lack of compliance between 2001 and 2006 in regrds to discharge standards for waste water treatment works and water treatment works operated by Water Service. The discharge Compliance 2007 Report (.PDF 12.7Kb)
assessed NIW compliance against the Water Order.
The 2001 - 2006 reports also provide details on compliance with both Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) Registered Standards and the Urban Waste Water Treatment (UWWT) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995. An overview of investment plans is also included.
The Water Utility discharge compliance 2008 contains an assessment of compliance over the course of 2008 (.PDF 118Kb).
The Water Utility Regulation Group
The primary function of the Water Utility Regulation Group (WURG) is to regulate discharges made by the Water Utility Sector. This sector includes NIW, Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and private emergency overflows connecting to the Water Utility infrastructure.
Discharges may come from the following:
- Waste Water Treatment Works (WWTWs), commonly known as sewage treatment works. These are the primary source of Water Utility Sector discharges
- Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) cause intermittent discharges from sewers which carry both foul sewage and rainfall run-off water
- Emergency Overflows (EOs) from sewage pumping stations. Sewage may be discharged under emergency conditions from a sewage pumping station.
- Water Treatment Works (WTWs) where waste waters may arise as a by-product of the drinking water purification processes.
Consents are also set for discharges under the Water and Sewerage Services (NI) Order 2006 Section 226/227 to enable NIW or their contractors to discharge water from pipes, wells, reservoirs and boreholes while carrying out construction, maintenance or repair works.
The Water Utility Regulation Group keeps public registers of WWTWs and WTWs. The WWTW & WTW Public Registers can be viewed here.
Sewer systems
Both CSOs and EOs are part of Northern Ireland's sewerage system. Along with NIW, the Water Utility Regulation Group is assessing proposed upgrades to the sewerage systems of towns and cities across the region.
This is a long-term programme which addresses the impacts of CSOs to complete sewerage systems and is guided by what is known as Urban Pollution Management methodology. Discharge standards for CSOs include minimum flows that the sewer must be capable of before spilling. For EOs, discharge standards relate to measures to be taken to ensure that there is no spillage following a breakdown.
Water quality and planning regulations
Scientific and technical advice is provided to Planning Service on planning consultation issues in relation to the sewerage infrastructure
In 2000, the then Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), which in 2008 became the NIEA, highlighted a situation where continued development in areas without adequate waste water treatment had the potential to affect water quality.
Then issue was brought up in a Ministerial Statement
to the Northern Ireland Assembly on October 7, 2002, on water quality and planning.
Following that, the EHS monitored the progress Water Service made in terms of new works and infrastructure improvements. The result is that from April 10, 2006, the EHS reduced the number of concerned areas from 57 to 37 Water Quality and Planning table April 2006(.PDF 31.5Kb). The updated situation is reflected in the NIEA responses to planning consultations.
Sewage sludge
Where sewage sludge is applied to agricultural land, NIW have to meet the requirements of the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations (N.I.) 1990 and comply with the Code of Practice for Agricultural Use of Sewage Sludge. The Water Utility Regulation group monitors information held by NIW. In practice, however, little sewage sludge is presently being spread on agricultural land.
Publications
The group draws up departmental policy and other documents on issues relevant to Water Utility Regulation. Documents currently available through the publications section of this website:
Northern Ireland Water Discharge Compliance Report 2007 (.PDF 12.7Kb)
Water Service Discharges Report 2006(.PDF 880Kb)
Water Service Discharges Report 2005(.PDF 1.4Mb)
Water Service Discharge Report 2004(.PDF 1.27Mb)
Water Service Discharge Report 2002 - 2003(.PDF 1.18Mb)
Regulation of Water Service Discharges - Report for the Year 2001(.PDF 688Kb)
