Research and analysis

Review of urban pollution management standards against Water Framework Directive requirements

This report looks at whether the control of urban pollution levels in UK's water meet EU standards.

Documents

Review of urban pollution management standards against WFD requirements

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Review of urban pollution management standards against WFD requirements

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

For many years, water quality standards for urban pollution were outlined in the second edition of the Urban Pollution Management Manual (UPM2). Regulators and water companies used UPM2 to prepare permit applications and design works to manage problem flows from wastewater pipes.

However, in 2000 new legislation was introduced – the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) – which has new water quality and ecological standards. This meant the UPM2 standards had to be reviewed against the requirements of the WFD. This project reviewed the UPM2 standards to establish whether they are still valid, or whether they need to be modified.

Published 17 October 2012