Water

Water

The Regulation of Discharge Activities in the Environment and Planning Act

The competent authorities and society are growing increasingly concerned about the quality of waste being discharged by companies, in part following the increase in media reports on the quality of surface water and drinking water. Another contributing factor is the Water Framework Directive, which provides that all bodies of surface water in the Netherlands must be in good state by the end of 2027. That context makes it particularly relevant that the EPA’s entry into force – and the repeal of the Water Act (Waterwet) and the Activities (Environmental Management) Decree (Activiteitenbesluit milieubeheer) – entail a number of changes in the area of water and discharge which (in the longer term) could create additional obligations for discharging companies

Our Water factsheet discusses these changes, such as the introduction of rules on discharge activities and the removal of the prohibition on discharging waste into surface water, as well as some practical aspects.

Download factsheet water

The factsheet is available in Dutch. If you would like an English translation, please contact [email protected].

Environment & Planning
In a place as densely populated as the Netherlands, it is common to see small areas of land with many different functions and uses. Environmental law regulates the complex distribution of available space. This area of law is constantly changing due to new national and European laws and regulations, new building techniques and societal developments.
Environment & Planning Act
The Environment Act covers the space in which people live, work and relax. This new law merges old laws and contains rules for what can be seen, heard and smelled outside.
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