Search Legislation

The Groundwater (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016

 Help about what version

What Version

  • Latest available (Revised)
  • Original (As made)
 Help about opening options

Opening OptionsExpand opening options

Status:

This is the original version (as it was originally made). This item of legislation is currently only available in its original format.

Amendment of Schedule

This section has no associated Explanatory Memorandum

5.  In the Schedule (Groundwater Threshold Values) for Table 1 substitute—

Table 1

Threshold values for assessing groundwater chemical status

ParameterUnitTo examine if groundwater abstraction is causing saline or other intrusions>To examine if groundwater is providing a significant contribution to the failure of the environmental objectives of associated surface water bodiesTo examine if the quality of groundwater that is abstracted for potable use is deteriorating, possibly resulting in a need for increased purificationTo examine the spatial extent of a groundwater body or group of bodies that are exceeding an EU Standard or threshold value
(1)

The surface water environmental standards are set out in Schedule 1 to The Water Framework Directive (Classification, Priority Substances and Shellfish Waters) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015(S.R. 2015 No. 351).

(2)

The “dilution factor” is taken to be the fraction of the average annual river flow derived from groundwater inflows. It can be estimated from established hydrological indices such as the baseflow index, or from the ratio of catchment groundwater recharge to effective precipitation.

Ammoniummg/l0.29
Arsenicμg/l7.5
Atrazineμg/l0.075
Cadmiumμg/l3.75
Chloridemg/l25
Electrical ConductivityμS/cm8001875
Leadμg/l7.5
MCPAμg/l0.075
Mecopropμg/l0.075
Mercuryμg/l0.75
Nitrate (as NO3)mg/l37.537.5
Nitriteμg/l375375
Simazineμg/l0.075
Sulphatemg/l187.5
Tetrachloroethyleneμg/l7.57.5
Trichloroethyleneμg/l7.57.5
Any pollutant in relation to which a surface water environmental standard has been set(1)0.5 x (surface water standard divided by dilution factor)(2)

Back to top

Options/Help