
2011 No. 10
Environmental Protection
The Water Framework Directive (Priority Substances and Classification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011 (revoked)
Made 21st January 2011
Coming into operation 14th February 2011
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Citation and commencement
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Interpretation
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Typology and Environmental Standards
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Environmental standards for priority substances, Intermittent Discharge Standards and standards for Shellfish Waters
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Classification of surface waters
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Classification of Groundwater
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Designation of Mixing Zones
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Inventory of emissions, discharges and losses
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Revocations
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SCHEDULE 1
PART 1 Criteria for identifying the types of river, lake or transitional water to which the environmental standards specified in Part 2 of this Schedule apply
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PART 2 Environmental Standards
Environmental standards for river water quality
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Environmental standards for river flows
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Environmental standards for lake water quality
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Environmental standards for protection of inland lake water levels
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Environmental standards for transitional and coastal water quality
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Environmental standards for specific pollutants
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Environmental Standards for River Water Quality
Environmental Standards for Lake Water Quality
Environmental Standards for Transitional and Coastal Water Quality
Environmental Standards for Specific Pollutants
Environmental Standards for Priority Substances and other Substances
Application of the standards set out in Table 46

For any given surface water body, applying the AA-EQS means that, for each representative monitoring point within the water body, the arithmetic mean of the concentrations measured at different times during the year does not exceed the standard.

The calculation of the arithmetic mean, the analytical method used and, where there is no appropriate analytical method meeting the minimum performance criteria, the method of applying a standard must be in accordance with implementing acts adopting technical specifications for chemical monitoring and quality of analytical results, in accordance with the Water Framework Directive.

For any given surface water body, applying the MAC-EQS means that the measured concentration at any representative monitoring point within the water body does not exceed the standard.

However, in accordance with section 1.3.4. of Annex V to the Water Framework Directive, the Department may introduce statistical methods, such as a percentile calculation, to ensure an acceptable level of confidence and precision for determining compliance with the MAC-EQS.

With the exception of cadmium, lead, mercury and nickel (hereinafter “metals”) the standards set out in Table 46 are expressed as total concentrations in the whole water sample. In the case of metals the standards refer to the dissolved concentration i.e. the dissolved phase of a water sample obtained by filtration through a 0.45 µm filter or any equivalent pre-treatment.

The Department may, when assessing the monitoring results against the standards, take into account:
 natural background concentrations for metals and their compounds, if they prevent compliance with the standard; and
 hardness, pH or other water quality parameters that affect the bioavailability of metals.

PART 3 Boundary values for biological quality elements
Boundary values for aquatic plants and animals in rivers
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Boundary values for aquatic plants and animals in lakes
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Boundary values for aquatic plants and animals in transitional and coastal waters
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PART 4 Intermittent Discharge Standards
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SCHEDULE 2
PART 1 Determining Ecological Status of Surface Waters that are not designated Heavily Modified or Artificial
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PART 2 Determining Chemical Status of Surface Waters
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PART 3 Determining Ecological Potential of Heavily Modified and Artificial Water Bodies
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PART 4 Determining High Status for Morphological Elements
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PART 5 Determining Overall Status of Surface Water Bodies
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SCHEDULE 3
Determining Quantitative status of Groundwater
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SCHEDULE 4
Presentation of monitoring results and classification

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SCHEDULE 5
PART 1 Shellfish Waters Standards
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PART 2 Microbial Guideline Value
Microbial Guideline Value
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Compliance with the microbial guideline value
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Sampling and analysis
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