Urban waste water treatment
A Council Directive of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste water treatment (91/271/EEC) sets out rules for the collection, treatment and discharge of urban waste water and the treatment and discharge of waste water from certain industrial sectors. The Directive aims to protect the environment from the adverse effects of such discharges. Member States shall ensure that collecting systems are provided for all agglomerations. Before discharge from the collecting system, urban waste water shall be subject to secondary treatment. Monitoring systems shall be established. Industrial waste water discharge into collection systems and treatment plants shall be made subject to specified requirements before 31 December 1993. Time scales for implementation of the other Articles of the Directive relate to the size of urban populations and to the nature of the environment into which the waste water is to be finally discharged, as set out in the body of the text.