§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Mr. Elliot Morley)Further treatment than secondary treatment is being operated or is due to be installed at certain sewage treatment works discharging into 47 Shellfish Waters in England designated under the Surface Waters (Shellfish) (Classification) Regulations 1997, in order to fulfil our obligations under the Shellfish Waters Directive.
So, in accordance with the criteria in Part I of Schedule I of the Urban Waste Water Treatment (England and Wales) Regulations 1994 (which transposes the European Council Directive (91/271/EEC) concerning urban waste water treatment), I am today announcing the designation of these 47 water bodies as Sensitive Areas (Shellfish Waters) under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.
Maps and lists of the new Sensitive Areas have today been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses. Maps showing the location of all current Sensitive Areas (Eutrophic), (Nitrate), (Bathing Waters), and now (Shellfish Waters) have been deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and at the head office of the Environment Agency and its principal regional offices.
The maps will also be published on the Department's website.