Environment Minister Arlene Foster has released the fifth report by EHS on the environmental regulation of discharges made by the former Water Service. The report details Water Service compliance with EHS and European discharge standards during 2006 and updates the information provided in the reports covering 2001 to 2005.
The Minister said that there had been a sustained improvement, with compliance of discharges from wastewater treatment works against EHS Registered Standards having increased from 58% in 2001 to 84% in 2006.
She added: "The considerable investments made to rectify the historic under funding of wastewater treatment are producing results, and the £131 million invested in wastewater treatment and sewerage infrastructure in 2004/2005 is now being reflected in improved compliance. This is a significant and important improvement, but it must be sustained."
The Minister added that EHS had established itself as an effective regulator. Since 1 April 2007, with the transfer of responsibility for delivery of water and sewerage services from Water Service to a government owned company, Northern Ireland Water Limited (NIW), and its resultant loss of crown immunity, EHS is now regulating NIW discharges under the Water (Northern Ireland) Order 1999 in the same manner as for any other discharger. She said it had a key role in ensuring the new organisation meets the level of performance that the public expect.
Notes to Editors:
- EHS is Northern Ireland’s environmental regulator and is an agency of DOE.
- EHS is responsible for regulation of DRD Water Service discharges to the water environment. EHS is also responsible for responding to pollution incidents, monitoring the chemical and biological quality of the aquatic environment, regulation of effluent discharges and agricultural pollution, pollution prevention advice and education, and the development and implementation of river basin management plans.
- During the whole of 2006 Water Service, an executive agency within DRD was responsible for the supply and distribution of public drinking water and the collection, treatment and disposal of wastewater.
- Under the Water (NI) Order 1999 EHS sets consents for discharges for privately operated sewage treatment works, as well as industrial discharges. Sewage and other wastewater discharges made by the Water Service also require discharge standards. Whilst Water Service as a Crown body was not bound by the statutory discharge consent requirements of the Order a separate but technically similar regulatory system was established to control its discharges.
- On 1 April 2007 the Water Service became a Government Owned Company, Northern Ireland Water Limited (NIW), with the resultant loss of Crown immunity.
- For media enquiries please contact DOE Press Office 028 9054 0014 or out of office hours, contact the EIS Duty Press Officer on pager 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
