The Dangerous Substances Regulations prescribe water quality standards in respect of 14 dangerous substances in surface waters (rivers, lakes and tidal waters). These include:
Water quality targets set in the Regulations must be met by 2010. Where the existing condition of waters does not meet a particular standard, there must be no deterioration in water quality in the meantime.
New licences granted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local authorities must reflect the prescribed standards. Existing licences had to be reviewed, and revised where necessary on the basis of meeting the prescribed standards by July 2006.
Local authorities prepare implementation reports every two years following which the EPA reports on implementation at national level. were required to submit a Measures Report to the EPA by 31 July 2002, outlining the measures they aimed to take to prevent water pollution from dangerous substances so as to meet the standards set by the regulations.
The EPA has also hosted three workshops on the Regulations in 2002, 2003 and 2004, and has issued a guidance manual to local authorities to assist in the preparation of their Measures and Implementation Reports.
Download the latest Dangerous Substances Report, 2005
