Annex I · Directive (EU) 2024/3019

Contents

Note 1: Reduction in relation to the load of the influent or to the load generated in an agglomeration if the same level of environmental protection can be ensured.Note 2: If a fraction of treated urban wastewater is used for agricultural irrigation, nutrients in that fraction may be included in the calculation of the influent load and be excluded from the discharged load.Note 3: In exceptional situations due to specific local circumstances, natural nitrogen retention may be taken into account in the calculation of the minimum percentage reduction in Member States where natural nitrogen retention was taken into account in the calculation of the minimum percentage reduction of nitrogen referred to under Table 2 of Annex I to Directive 91/271/EEC and where it is demonstrated that part of the nitrogen originated from urban wastewater can be eliminated in the receiving waters until 31 December 2045 for the calculation of the minimum percentage reduction of nitrogen referred to in Table 2 of this Annex if all the following conditions are fulfilled:

(1)the average hydraulic retention time of the discharged effluent is at least 1,5 years before it reaches the area sensitive to nitrogen designated under Article 7(2);

(1)no adverse effect on the environment is ensured;

(2)a continuous monitoring and assessment programme of the total nitrogen parameter is ensured:

(a)in the outlets of all urban wastewater treatment plants and where relevant in the urban runoff from agglomerations of 10000 p.e. and above located in the catchment area of the area sensitive to nitrogen designated under Article 7(2);

(b)in the relevant inlets of the area designated under Article 7(2);

(c)at the representative sampling locations in the receiving waters and relevant water bodies in the catchment area of the area designated under Article 7(2);

(2)excessive costs or excessive energy consumption would be required to reach the values for nitrogen in Table 2.

(3)the minimum percentage reduction for nitrogen of Table 2 is met; that percentage shall be calculated on the basis of the data collected from continuous monitoring and assessment programme referred to in point (2);

(4)it can be demonstrated that nitrogen releases from urban wastewater treatment plants in the catchment area are not harmful for the environment, including for biodiversity, and human health and do not modify the ecosystem;

(5)the concentration of nutrients in the areas referred to in point (c) of condition (2) are compliant with the condition set under Annex V.1.2.1 to Directive 2000/60/EC to define good ecological status of those areas;

(6)the use of natural nitrogen retention is reported to the Commission in accordance with Article 22(1)(a), as well as to potentially affected neighbouring Member States, together with all the elements necessary to verify that conditions (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) are fulfilled.

Note 4: This requirement shall apply on 1 January 2025 to existing urban wastewater treatment plants obliged to meet the deadlines established under Article 7(1) and to agglomerations under Article 7(3). Until those deadlines are met, the obligations of Article 32(3) shall apply to those urban wastewater treatment plants.Note 5: Where the temperature in the effluent of the biological reactor is below 12 ^oC, the results of the samples taken may be excluded from the calculation of the annual mean for nitrogen as referred to in point (4)(c) of Part C of this Annex where all the following can be demonstrated:

Defined terms · 27

Show every defined term

agglomeration
means an area where the population expressed in population equivalent, combined or not with economic activities, is sufficiently concentrated for urban wastewater to be collected and conducted to one or more urban wastewater treatment plants or to one or more final discharge points;
antimicrobial resistance
means the ability of micro-organisms to survive or to grow in the presence of a concentration of an antimicrobial agent which is usually sufficient to inhibit or kill micro-organisms of the same species;
biomedia
means any support, usually made of plastic, used for the development of the bacteria needed for the treatment of urban wastewater;
collecting system
means a system of conduits which collects and conducts urban wastewater;
combined sewer
means a single conduit that collects and conducts urban wastewater, including urban runoff;
dilution ratio
means the ratio of the average over the last five years of annual flow of the receiving waters at the point of discharge to the average over the last five years of the annual discharge volume of urban wastewater into surface waters;
domestic wastewater
means wastewater from residential settlements, services and institutions which originates predominantly from the human metabolism or from household activities, or from both;
eutrophication
means the enrichment of water by nutrients, especially compounds of nitrogen or phosphorus, or both, causing an accelerated growth of algae and higher forms of plant life to produce an undesirable disturbance to the balance of organisms present in the water and to the quality of the water concerned;
individual system
means a sanitation facility that collects, stores, treats or disposes of domestic wastewater from buildings or parts of buildings not connected to a collecting system.
load
means the amount of organic biodegradable matter measured as BOD5 in urban wastewater, expressed in p.e., or of any pollutant or nutrient, expressed in mass units per time;
micropollutant
means a substance as defined in Article 3(1) of Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council, including its breakdown products, that is usually present in the aquatic environment, urban wastewater or sludge and that can be considered hazardous to the environment or human health on the basis of the relevant criteria set out in Parts 3 and 4 of Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1272/2008, even in low concentrations;
non-domestic wastewater
means wastewater, other than domestic wastewater and urban runoff, which is discharged from premises used for the exercise of a trade or industrial or economic activities;
One Health
means One Health as defined in Article 3, point (7), of Regulation (EU) 2022/2371 of the European Parliament and of the Council;
placing on the market
means the first making available of a product on the market of a Member State;
primary treatment
means treatment of urban wastewater by a physical or chemical process, or both, involving settlement of suspended solids, or other processes in which the BOD5 of the incoming wastewater is reduced by at least 20 % before discharge and the total suspended solids of the incoming wastewater are reduced by at least 50 %;
producer
means any manufacturer, importer or distributor that on a professional basis places products on the market of a Member State, including by means of distance contracts as defined in Article 2(7) of Directive 2011/83/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council;
producer responsibility organisation
means a nationally recognised organisation established to enable producers to fulfil their obligations under Articles 9 and 10;
public concerned
means the public affected or likely to be affected by, or having an interest in, the taking of a decision for the implementation of the obligations laid down in Article 6, 7 or 8 of this Directive;
quaternary treatment
means treatment of urban wastewater by a process which reduces a broad spectrum of micropollutants in urban wastewater;
sanitation
means facilities and services for the safe, hygienic, secure, and socially and culturally acceptable management and disposal of human urine and faeces, and for the changing and disposal of menstrual products, that provide privacy and ensure dignity;
secondary treatment
means treatment of urban wastewater by a process generally involving biological treatment with a secondary settlement or another process which reduces biodegradable organic matter from urban wastewater;
separate sewer
means a conduit that separately collects and conducts one of the following:
sludge
means organic and inorganic residue resulting from the treatment of urban wastewater from an urban wastewater treatment plant, excluding grit, grease, other debris and any other screenings and residues from the pre-treatment step;
storm water overflow
means discharge of untreated urban wastewater into receiving waters from combined sewers caused by precipitation or system failures;
tertiary treatment
means treatment of urban wastewater by a process which reduces nitrogen or phosphorus, or both, in urban wastewater;
urban runoff
means precipitation in agglomerations collected by combined or separate sewers;
urban wastewater
means any of the following: