02/02/09
The Priority Substances Directive, a daughter directive of the Water Framework Directive, came into effect in January and must be transposed by 13 July.
The directive will amend and subsequently repeal a number of old directives. It lays down environmental quality standards for 33 priority substances, with the aim to protect surface waters, and identifies priority hazardous substances which have to be reduced or phased out.
Member states will be able to designate 'mixing zones' and the Commission will consider 13 more substances which could be classified as priority or priority hazardous and be supplemented by an Environmental Quality Standard if needed.
This directive complements the new Groundwater Directive, now being transposed into UK law.
Contact: Water UK Communication
