15 Oct 2025

Here’s a one-page summary table of the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill (NI) 2025 — showing each major change, who it affects, and what it means in practice:

🧾 Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill (NI) 2025 — Summary of Top 15 Changes

RankKey Change / ClauseWho It AffectsPractical Impact / What It Means
1Mandatory Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) RegulationsDevelopers, planners, councils, NI WaterAll new developments may be required to incorporate approved SuDS. Shifts NI toward sustainable drainage as default.
2Creation of SuDS Approval & Oversight BodyDfI, councils, developersEstablishes body to assess, approve, and monitor SuDS. Developers must apply for approval before works.
3Expanded Temporary Water Use Bans (Clause 1)NI Water, households, businessesReplaces simple “hosepipe ban” with broader bans on non-essential water use during shortages. Offences and fines apply.
4Flood Protection Grants for Domestic Buildings (Clause 6)Homeowners, insurers, councilsGrants can be issued to retrofit flood resilience measures (barriers, pumps, etc.) in flood-prone areas.
5Flood Risk Assessment & Management Regulations (Clause 7)DfI, councils, developersModernises flood risk planning powers post-Brexit; aligns NI with current climate adaptation practices.
6Drainage Works: Environmental Impact Assessment (Clause 8)DfI, contractors, consultantsEIAs may be required for drainage projects to evaluate environmental effects before approval.
7Statutory Definition of “Sustainable Drainage System” (Clause 4)Designers, planners, councilsDefines SuDS legally as systems that reduce or slow surface runoff. Clarifies scope of what must be used.
8Reclassification: “Structural SuDS” (Clause 5)NI Water, engineersDifferentiates between structural (engineered) SuDS and wider, natural drainage features for clearer regulation.
9Adoption of Pre-1973 Private Drains (Clause 12)NI Water, property ownersNI Water may adopt older private drains critical to its network. Reduces private owner liability for legacy pipes.
10Unlawful Sewer Connections: Remedies (Clause 11)NI Water, property ownersNI Water can fix misconnected sewers, enter private property if necessary, and recover costs from owners.
11Registration of Article 161 Developer Agreements (Clause 10)Developers, conveyancers, buyersSewer adoption agreements must be recorded in the Land Registry. Ensures transparency in property sales.
12Inspection, Enforcement & Appeals (Clause 3)DfI, councils, developersEnables DfI to make regulations for penalties, enforcement powers, and appeals relating to SuDS and flooding.
13Public Notice of Water Bans (Clause 1 procedure)NI Water, publicBans must be advertised in newspapers and online; public can make representations before they take effect.
14Supplementary Powers to Amend Related Laws (Clause 13)DfI, AssemblyDfI may update or repeal existing drainage/water laws to support Act implementation (subject to Assembly approval).
15Phased Commencement & Transitional Provisions (Clause 15)DfI, NI Water, councilsAllows gradual rollout of different parts of the Act to manage resource and policy transitions smoothly.