(14)In order to protect the environment, in particular the coastal and marine environment, including the protection of surface, ground and drinking water, and public health from being adversely affected by the discharge of insufficiently treated urban wastewater, secondary treatment should be applied to all discharges of urban wastewater from agglomerations of 1 000 p.e. and above. Due to the expansion of the scope of this Directive to include smaller agglomerations, Member States should be given sufficient time to establish the required infrastructure to meet the obligations set out in this Directive. Similarly, enough time should be given to Member States to adapt their treatment infrastructure for agglomerations discharging their urban wastewater into coastal waters or less sensitive areas where secondary treatment was not required under Directive 91/271/EEC.