2. Legislation and regulations

Community policy on wastewater treatment is governed by Council Directive 91/271/EEC of May 21, 1991, amended by Commission Directive 98/15/EC of February 27, 1998. According to these directives, urban wastewater is defined as domestic wastewater, or the mixture of domestic wastewater with industrial wastewater and/or runoff. It should be noted that industrial wastewater entering collection systems and the discharge of wastewater and sludge from treatment plants are subject to specific regulations and/or authorizations from the competent authorities (see below).

The European Union also lays down harmonized rules to protect the aquatic environment from discharges of hazardous substances. It requires discharge authorizations for certain types of substance, sets emission ceilings and imposes integrated water management by river basin district...