The UK and all other European Union (EU) member states were required to meet the first of their obligations under the European Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) by 31 December, 1998. Further obligations became binding on 31 December, 2000, and, more recently, on 31 December last year. In each case, the obligations were to ensure the provision of an adequate level of sewerage infrastructure and treatment.
However, political short-sightedness and foot-dragging has led to massive and prolonged underinvestment in this area, with the result that compliance with the requirements of the UWWTD in Northern Ireland has been woefully inadequate.
