§ Dr. GodmanTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the date by which secondary treatment of waste water and sewage will be required under the terms of the European Union's Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive; and if he will make a statement. [66349]
§ Mr. MealeUnder the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, secondary treatment must be provided by 31 December 2000 for sewage discharges above 15,000 population equivalent to inland, estuarial and coastal waters. Discharges to inland and estuarial waters of between 2,000 and 15,000 population equivalent, and discharges of between 10,000 and 15,000 population equivalent to coastal waters must receive secondary treatment by 31 December 2005.
In the case of coastal discharges which were formerly potentially subject to derogations to a lower level of treatment, we are encouraging water and sewerage companies to make as rapid a progress as possible with the installation of secondary treatment.