Executive agreement is to be sought to end protection for Northern Ireland Water from pollution penalties.
The body has operated under the special arrangement, Statement of Regulatory Principles and Intent (SoRPI), since its formation in 2007 as an acknowledgement of the antiquated wastewater infrastructure.
Stormont Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Andrew Muir previously consulted on the ending of the arrangement in a bid to improve water quality.
Particular concern has been voiced after Lough Neagh was blighted by noxious blooms of blue-green algae in recent summers.
The cause has been put down to an excess of nutrients from a number of sources, including waste water, septic tanks and agriculture, exacerbated by climate change and the invasive species zebra mussels.
Stormont ministers have agreed an action plan to tackle the environmental crisis.
In a statement earlier this year, NI Water said it agrees that SoRPI can be removed, provided that this is done alongside “suitable, credible and funded alternative arrangements”.
Mr Muir told the Assembly during questions for his department on Monday that he plans to seek support from the Executive at its meeting next Thursday to end SoRPI.
DUP MLA Deborah Erskine said there is a “fundamental problem with overflows along Lough Neagh” and farmers are “continually being singled out and blamed for pollution around Lough Neagh”.
She pressed Mr Muir to put efforts into challenging Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins, whose department NI Water falls under, to “take responsibility and get proper data instead of skewing it to one sector, our farmers”.
Mr Muir said there is “no skewing of data”, adding: “I’m very clear that waste water has an impact in terms of pollution of our waterways, particularly in relation to Lough Neagh”.
“There’s a serious issue in relation to sewage pollution in Northern Ireland, and the need to tackle it and to face the need for the investment in terms of the infrastructure that goes alongside that,” he told MLAs.
“I’ll be looking for the support from my Executive colleagues in relation to ending that special dispensation that has wrongly been given to Northern Ireland Water in regards to SoRPI, and have also been very clear that also we need to make a special designation in relation to Belfast Lough.
“We need to have stronger regulation and enforcement around waste water pollution in Northern Ireland, I’m seeking to do it and I’m looking for the support from others in regards to implementation of that.”
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