Department of the Environment

The Department of the Environment has made a Statutory Rule entitled The Water Supply (Water Quality) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 (S.R. 2003 No. 369).

The Rule comes into operation on 28th August, 2003.

The Rule is made under Articles 3B and 3C of the Water and Sewerage Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1973, as amended by the Water and Sewerage Services (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1993, and section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 and section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972.

The Regulations amend the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2002 (“the principal Regulations”).

The principal Regulations transpose the requirements of Directive 98/83/EC as it applies to the public water supplies. The objective of the Directive is to protect human health from adverse effects resulting from contamination of water intended for human consumption.

These amendment Regulations are necessary to formally update the interpretation of Guidance for Cryptosporidium and, in response to advice received from the Examiner of Statutory Rules, to revoke regulation 32 of the principal Regulations, which covers offences dealing with third party contamination of water being supplied to the public by Water Service. Any such offence would now be subject to the provisions of the general law.

Copies of the Rule may be purchased from the Stationery Office Bookshop, 16 Arthur Street, Belfast BT1 4GD.