These Regulations implement, as respects England and Wales, Council Directive 91/271/EEC concerning urban waste water treatment.
Regulation 4 supplements the general duty imposed on sewerage undertakers by section 94 of the Water Industry Act 1991, by requiring them to secure that "collecting systems" are provided by specified dates, and to secure that urban waste water entering collecting systems is subject to treatment provided in accordance with regulation 5. Regulation 6 also requires the National Rivers Authority to secure, by means of its powers to grant and modify discharge consents under Chapter II of Part III of the Water Resources Act 1991, that the relevant requirements of the Regulations in relation to discharges are satisfied. Regulation 7 imposes requirements in respect of discharges of industrial waste water to collecting systems or treatment plants. Sewerage undertakers are empowered to modify trade effluent consents and agreements for this purpose. Regulation 8 imposes a duty on the NRA to secure that direct discharges of biodegradable industrial waste water from the industrial sectors listed in Schedule 5 are subject to conditions appropriate to the nature of the industry concerned. Regulation 11 imposes a duty on the NRA to ensure that monitoring of discharges and waters to which the Regulations apply. Regulation 12 requires the NRA to keep certain documents available for inspection by the public.