AQW 17294/17-22


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 14/04/2021
Answered On Date: 05/05/2021
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to detail the number of (i) times; and (ii) locations when wastewater that exceeded pollution limits was released into waterways, in each of the last five years.


Answer:
NIEA regulate discharges to the aquatic environment under the Water Order (Northern Ireland) 1999 as amended. Wastewater refers to a range of discharges that include; sewage related discharges, industrial discharges and site drainage discharges.
I have therefore provided below the number of times and locations for all wastewater discharges and pollution incidents where an exceedance has been detected to be in breach of its Water Order Consent in each of the last 5 years.
Type of Discharge
Number of Exceedances detected in the last 5 years
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Private Sewage, Industrial Discharge and Site Drainage Discharges
391
403
376
495
159*
NI Water
167
187
121
108
117
Number of Locations where an exceedance has been detected in the last 5 years
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Private Sewage, Industrial Discharge and Site Drainage Discharges
247
233
238
286
133
NI Water
48
60
47
45
46
*Reduced Regulatory Sampling Regime due to the Covid Restrictions.