{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/water-industry-act-1991/section-96L",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/water-industry-act-1991/section-96L.json",
  "legislation": "ukpga/1991/56",
  "legislation_title": "Water Industry Act 1991",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/water-industry-act-1991",
  "path": "section/96L",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "96L",
  "heading": "Sections 96B to 96K, 96M and 96N: interpretation",
  "text": "(1) This section applies for the purposes of sections 96B to 96K, 96M and 96N.\n(2) In those sections (and this section)—\n“associated catchment area”—\n(a)in relation to a plant that is a nitrogen significant plant or is exempt in relation to the nitrogen nutrient pollution standard, means the nitrogen sensitive catchment area into which it discharges;\n(b)in relation to a plant that is a phosphorus significant plant or is exempt in relation to the phosphorus nutrient pollution standard, means the phosphorus sensitive catchment area into which it discharges;\n“catchment permitting area” means a sensitive catchment area designated under section 96G(1) for the time being;\n“environmental permit” means a permit granted under Chapter 2 of Part 2 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016; and a reference to a condition imposed on such a permit is to be construed in accordance with those regulations;\n“environmental permitting regulations” means—\n(a)the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 (S.I. 2016/1154) (as they have effect from time to time), or\n(b)any other provision made after the Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 is passed that is, or could have been, made under section 2 of the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999;\n“exempt plant”, in relation to a nutrient pollution standard, has the meaning given by section 96D;\n“habitats site” means a European site within the meaning of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017 (S.I. 2017/1012) (see regulation 8);\n“the initial period” has the meaning given by section 96E(4);\n“nitrogen nutrient pollution standard”, in relation to references to a nitrogen significant plant meeting the standard, has the meaning given by section 96F(1);\n“nitrogen sensitive catchment area” means an area designated under section 96C(1);\n“nitrogen significant plant” has the meaning given by section 96B(3);\n“nutrient pollution standard” means the nitrogen nutrient pollution standard or the phosphorus nutrient pollution standard;\n“nutrient significant plant” means—\n(a)a nitrogen significant plant, or\n(b)a phosphorus significant plant;\n“phosphorus nutrient pollution standard”, in relation to references to a phosphorus significant plant meeting the standard, has the meaning given by section 96F(2);\n“phosphorus sensitive catchment area” means an area designated under section 96C(2);\n“phosphorus significant plant” has the meaning given by section 96B(4);\n“plant” means a sewage disposal works;\n“related nutrient pollution standard”, in relation to a sensitive catchment area or a plant, means—\n(a)if (or so far as) the area is a nitrogen sensitive catchment area or the plant is a nitrogen significant plant, the nitrogen nutrient pollution standard;\n(b)if (or so far as) the area is a phosphorus sensitive catchment area or the plant is a phosphorus significant plant, the phosphorus nutrient pollution standard;\n“sensitive catchment area” means—\n(a)a nitrogen sensitive catchment area, or\n(b)a phosphorus sensitive catchment area;\n“standard concentration”, in relation to the nutrient pollution standard that applies to a plant, means the concentration specified in section 96F(1)(a)(i) or (2)(a)(i) on the date that the designation of the associated catchment area as a sensitive catchment area takes effect;\n“treated effluent” has the meaning given by section 96F(3);\n“upgrade date”, in relation to a plant that discharges into a sensitive catchment area, has the meaning given by section 96E.\n(3) References to a plant discharging into a sensitive catchment area are to the plant discharging treated effluent into the area.\n(4) References to the sewerage system of a sewerage undertaker have the meaning given by section 17BA(7).",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Ss. 96B-96N inserted (26.12.2023) by Levelling-up and Regeneration Act 2023 (c. 55), ss. 168(1), 255(6) (with s. 247)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1991/56/section/96L",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-11-04T03:48:29.824737+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}