S.L. 549.22 Art. 6Discharge into sensitive areas.

(1) For the purposes of subregulation (2), the competent authority shall identify sensitive areas according to the criteria laid down in Annex II.

(2) The competent authority shall ensure that urban waste water entering collecting systems shall, before discharge into sensitive areas, be subject to more stringent treatment than that described in regulation 4, for all discharges from agglomerations of more than 10,000 population equivalent.

(3) Discharges from urban waste water treatment plants described in subregulation (2) shall satisfy the relevant requirements of Annex I (B).

(4) Alternatively, requirements for individual plants set out in subregulations (2) and (3) need not apply in sensitive areas where it can be shown that the minimum percentage of reduction of the overall load entering all urban waste water treatment plants in that area is at least 75% for total phosphorus and at least 75% for total nitrogen.

(5) Discharges from urban waste water treatment plants which are situated in the relevant catchment areas of sensitive areas and which contribute to the pollution of these areas shall be subject to subregulations (2), (3) and (4).

(6) The competent authority shall ensure that the identification of sensitive areas is reviewed at intervals of no more than four years.

(7) The competent authority shall ensure that areas identified as sensitive, as listed in Annex II following review under subregulation (6), shall meet the above requirements.

(8) The competent authority does not have to identify sensitive areas for the purpose of these regulations if it implements the treatment established under subregulations (2), (3) and (4).