This page provides links to the full text of key pieces of water environmental legislation that may affect your business in Northern Ireland. The websites hosting the legislation may list amendments separately.
Water legislation for Northern Ireland aims to control water quality. It covers discharges to sewers, surface waters and groundwater, water abstraction and impounding and the protection of water against agricultural nitrate pollution.
If you are setting up an environmental management system (EMS) for your business, you can use this list to start compiling your legal register. Your legal adviser or environmental consultant will be able to tell you if other environmental legislation applies to your specific business.
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Sets out the contents of anti-pollution works notices served under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999, how to appeal, and how to claim compensation for access rights in connection with anti-pollution works.
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Establishes construction and storage standards for silage making and storage, slurry storage systems and agricultural fuel oil stores, with aim of reducing water pollution.
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Imposes general requirements for preventing pollution of any waterway from oil storage, particularly fixed tanks or mobile bowsers. Makes contravention a criminal offence.
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Amends 2010/412 to correct a drafting error.
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Requires conditions to be met before projects such as drainage works and marina works are carried out.
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Brings into force rules to force polluters to prevent and repair damage to water systems, land quality, species and their habitats and protected sites. The polluter does not have to be prosecuted first, so remedying the damage should be faster.
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Amends 2009/252 to update how warrants can be issued and enforced, give magistrates more flexibility in the fines they can apply for conviction and to clarify that references to European legislation include any future amendments.
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Makes shooting with lead shot on or over wetlands in Northern Ireland an offence punishable by fine.
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Sets up a licensing system for depositing substances in the sea, and incinerating at sea. Also provides a legal framework for controlling pesticides.
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Amends Foyle Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1952 to authorise Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission to licence and develop aquaculture in the Foyle and Carlingford areas. Updates the Act's and other statutory provisions for inland fisheries.
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Introduces classification systems in line with EU developments, makes it an offence to discharge listed substances without an authorisation, controls issuing and reviewing authorisations and consents. Covers enforcement, codes of practice and penalties.
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Amends 2009/254 to give magistrates more flexibility in the fines they can apply on conviction.
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Amends 2009/254 to allow the storage of carbon dioxide in geological formations which for natural reasons are permanently unsuitable for other purposes.
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Sets out which polluting industrial processes and substances require authorisations, how to transfer or vary an authorisation, how to appeal, and related fines and sentences (amended by PPC Regulations.)
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Protects water against nitrate pollution from agricultural sources, through controls on activities including spreading fertiliser and storing manure.
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Revokes and replaces the Urban Waste Water Treatment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, to reflect new arrangements for sewerage services set out in the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.
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Sets out the waste management regime covering waste carrier registration and identifying and remedying contaminated land.
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Sets out a control regime for regulating the abstraction of water from underground strata and waterways and for constructing, alterating or operating impounding works.
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Sets out requirements for managing, protecting and improving the quality of water resources, particularly river basins.
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Sets out classification schemes, requiring NIEA to assign a type to each water body and apply defined environmental standards.
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Revokes and replaces the Water Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and makes provision for discharge consents. Enables the DoE to set water quality objectives and prevent pollution from anti-pollution works.
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Guidance on Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999
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Outlines requirements for assessing the effects of agricultural water management projects on the environment, and procedures for considering applications or proposals for projects.
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Amends 2005/32 as a result of Water Abstraction and Licensing Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2006. Outlines measures for public participation in creating plans or programmes relating to the environment.
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Enables the DoE to introduce controls on water abstraction and impounding and sets out rules on information sharing about water and sewerage charges.
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Establishes government-owned companies' obligations for water supply, drinking water quality, trade effluent and sewage disposal, water and sewerage charges and customer service.
