PART II FUNCTIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE ENVIRONMENT IN RELATION TO MATTERS AFFECTING WATER

General duty of the Department

Duty of Department to promote conservation and cleanliness of water resources

4.—(1) The Department shall—

(a) promote the conservation of the water resources of Northern Ireland;

(b) promote the cleanliness of water in waterways and underground strata.

(2) The Department shall, in exercising its functions in relation to the conservation of water resources and the cleanliness of water, have regard to—

(a) the needs of industry and agriculture;

(b) the protection of fisheries;

(c) the protection of public health;

(d) the preservation of amenity and the conservation of flora and fauna; and

(e) the conservation of geological or physiographical features of special interest and any feature of archaeological, historical, architectural or traditional interest.