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Urban Waste Water Directive - what is our role?

We monitor the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water, and the treatment and discharge of waste water from industrial sites.

The Environment Agency ensures that water companies comply with this directive. We do this by making sure that consent requirements for discharges from treatment works and sewer storm overflows meet directive requirements.

We also make sure that samples of the discharges are taken to ensure that the consent requirements are met. If a discharge does not meet the requirements of the directive then we ensure that the water company makes improvements to bring it into compliance.

We are also responsible for recommending to the government areas for designation as 'sensitive areas'. We review these designations every four years and make additional recommendations based on the evidence that we collect.