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The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (England and Wales) Regulations 2017

S.I. 2017/407 · Made 15 March 2017 · Extends to England and Wales

Up to date with all changes known to legislation.gov.uk, revised to 27 February 2025.

Water Resources, England And Wales

Made 15th March 2017

Laid before Parliament 16th March 2017

Laid before the National Assembly for Wales 16th March 2017

Coming into force 10th April 2017

M1The Secretary of State and the Welsh Ministers, acting respectively in relation to river basin districts that are wholly in England and river basin districts that are wholly in Wales, and jointly in relation to river basin districts that are partly in England and partly in Wales, make these Regulations in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(2) of the European Communities Act 1972 .

The Secretary of State is designated for the purposes of that section of that Act in relation to the environment M2, and the Welsh Ministers are designated for the purposes of that section of that Act in relation to water resources M3.C1C2

Annotations to the whole text

Marginal citations

M1

1972 c. 68; section 2(2) was amended by section 27 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006 (c. 51) and Part 1 of the Schedule to the European Union (Amendment) Act 2008 (c. 7).

M2

S.I. 2008/301.

M3

S.I. 2003/2901, to which there are amendments not relevant to these Regulations. The functions conferred on the National Assembly for Wales by means of that Order are now exercisable by the Welsh Ministers by virtue of paragraph 28(1) of Schedule 11 to the Government of Wales Act 2006 (c.32).

Modifications

C1

Regulations: power to amend or modify conferred (9.1.2022) by Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), ss. 90, 147(2)(m) (with s. 144)

C2

Regulations power to amend or modify conferred (9.1.2022 for specified purposes, 28.2.2022 in so far as not already in force for N.I.) by Environment Act 2021 (c. 30), ss. 89, 147(2)(l)(6) (with s. 144); S.R. 2022/54, art. 2(1)(n)

Contents

  1. Part 1: Introduction
  2. 1Citation, commencement, extent and application
  3. 2Interpretation
  4. 3Duties on ministers and regulators
  5. Part 2: River basin districts and water bodies
  6. 4Map of river basin districts
  7. 5Characterisation of river basin districts
  8. 6Classification of water bodies
  9. 7Economic analysis of water use in river basin districts
  10. Part 3: Protected areas
  11. 8Bodies of water used for the abstraction of drinking water
  12. 9Designation of shellfish waters
  13. 10Register of protected areas
  14. Part 4: Monitoring
  15. 11Monitoring programmes
  16. Part 5: Environmental objectives and programmes of measures
  17. 12Procedure for setting environmental objectives and programmes of measures
  18. 13The environmental objectives
  19. 14Environmental objectives: application of regulations 15 to 19
  20. 15Artificial or heavily modified water bodies
  21. 16Extended deadlines for environmental objectives
  22. 17Setting less stringent environmental objectives
  23. 18Natural causes or force majeure
  24. 19Modifications to physical characteristics of water bodies
  25. 20Content of programmes of measures
  26. 21Charges for water services
  27. 22Further programmes of measures in relation to certain priority substances
  28. 23Action in relation to plant protection and biocidal products Repealed
  29. 24Implementation of programmes of measures
  30. 25Action where environmental objectives are unlikely to be achieved
  31. Part 6: River basin management plans
  32. 26Application of this Part
  33. 27River basin management plans: content
  34. 28Review of river basin management plans
  35. 29River basin management plans: public participation
  36. 30River basin management plans: submission for approval
  37. 31River basin management plans: approval
  38. 32Supplementary plans
  39. 33River basin management plans: duties on public bodies
  40. Part 7: General
  41. 34Publication of information
  42. 35Provision of information and assistance
  43. 36Directions
  44. 37Revocation
  45. 38Transitional provision
  46. 39Consequential amendments
  47. Signature
  48. Schedule 1: Directive definitions
  49. 1Paragraph 1
  50. Schedule 2: Enactments in relation to which duties in regulation 3 apply
  51. Part 1: Statutes
  52. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  53. 2Paragraph 2
  54. 3Paragraph 3
  55. 4Paragraph 4
  56. 5Paragraph 5
  57. 6Paragraph 6
  58. 7Paragraph 7
  59. 8Paragraph 8
  60. 9Paragraph 9
  61. 10Paragraph 10
  62. 11Paragraph 11
  63. Part 2: Subordinate instruments
  64. 12Paragraph 12
  65. 13Paragraph 13
  66. 14Paragraph 14
  67. 15Paragraph 15
  68. 16Paragraph 16
  69. 17Paragraph 17
  70. 18Paragraph 18
  71. 19Paragraph 19
  72. 20Paragraph 20
  73. 21Paragraph 21
  74. 22Paragraph 22
  75. 23Paragraph 23
  76. 24Paragraph 24
  77. 25Paragraph 25
  78. 26Paragraph 26
  79. 27Paragraph 27
  80. 28Paragraph 28
  81. 29Paragraph 29
  82. 30Paragraph 30
  83. 31Paragraph 31
  84. Schedule 3: EU instruments for the protection of water Repealed
  85. 1Paragraph 1 Repealed
  86. 2Paragraph 2 Repealed
  87. 3Paragraph 3 Repealed
  88. 4Paragraph 4 Repealed
  89. 5Paragraph 5 Repealed
  90. 6Paragraph 6 Repealed
  91. 7Paragraph 7 Repealed
  92. 8Paragraph 8 Repealed
  93. 9Paragraph 9 Repealed
  94. 10Paragraph 10 Repealed
  95. 11Paragraph 11 Repealed
  96. Schedule 4: Consequential amendments
  97. 1The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) (Northumbria River Basin District) Regulations 2003
  98. 2The Flood Risk Regulations 2009
  99. 3The Marine Strategy Regulations 2010
  100. 4The Bathing Water Regulations 2013
  101. 5The London Underground (Northern Line Extension) Order 2014
  102. Schedule 5: Modification of directives
  103. Part 1: Modifications of the Water Framework Directive
  104. 1Paragraph 1
  105. 2Paragraph 2
  106. 3Paragraph 3
  107. 4Paragraph 4
  108. 5Paragraph 5
  109. 6Paragraph 6
  110. 7Paragraph 7
  111. 8Paragraph 8
  112. 9Paragraph 9
  113. 10Paragraph 10
  114. 11Paragraph 11
  115. 12Paragraph 12
  116. 13Paragraph 13
  117. 14Paragraph 14
  118. 15Paragraph 15
  119. 16Paragraph 16
  120. Part 2: Modifications of the Groundwater Directive
  121. 17Paragraph 17
  122. 18Paragraph 18
  123. 19Paragraph 19
  124. 20Paragraph 20
  125. 21Paragraph 21
  126. 22Paragraph 22
  127. 23Paragraph 23
  128. 24Paragraph 24
  129. Part 3: Modifications of the Environmental Quality Standards Directive
  130. 25Paragraph 25
  131. 26Paragraph 26
  132. 27Paragraph 27
  133. 28Paragraph 28
  134. 29Paragraph 29
  135. 30Paragraph 30
  136. Explanatory note