Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 1 The EU legislative framework for groundwater protection against pollution and deterioration Andreas Scheidleder (Federal Environment

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 1

The EU legislative framework for groundwater protection

against pollution and deterioration

Andreas Scheidleder(Federal Environment Agency - Austria)

Philippe QuevauvillerEuropean Commission, DG Environment)

Korsør, 15 September 2008


Diversity of regionsHydrogeological variations


Diversity of uses, aspirations,pressures and impacts


Base sketch from Meade (1996) and DPSIR from EEA

D

D

P P

S

S

SP

SI

bio-physical systembio-physical system

R

societal systemsocietal system

River Basin ManagementRiver Basin Management

River Basin ManagementNeed for system understanding


Bathing Water Directive

1976/2006

Sampling and Analysis

Directive1979

Shellfish Water Directive 1979

Groundwater Directive 1980 Surface Water

Directive 1975

DangerousSubstances

Directive 1976

NitratesDirective

1991Urban Waste Water Directive 1991

Exchange of Information

Decision 1977

Fishwater Directive 1978

Drinking Water

Directive 1996

X

X

X

X

X X

XX

DS DaughterDirectives1981-1986X

X repealed by 2007; X repealed by 2013; X repealed together with adoption of WFD Daughter Directive on Priority Substances

IPPC Directive 1996

WFD

Priority Substances

Directive2008

GroundwaterDirective

2006

FloodsDirective

2007

One coherent management framefor all water-related legislation


Water Framework Directive Key Elements

Water management based on River Basins

Protecting all waters (surface and groundwaters)

Covering all impacts on waters

Cross border co-operation in water management between countries and all involved parties

Pollution prevention and emission control – “combined approach“

Economic instruments - to promote prudent use of water;(Principle of cost recovery including environmental and resource costs and taking into account the polluter pays principle)

Mandatory public participation

‘Good Status’ to be achieved, as a rule, by 2015;

Clear deadlines

… and guided by an unprecedented cooperation on implementation.


GW management within River Basins

Management objective: Good groundwater status (chemical, quantity, trends) to be achieved by the end of 2015 (WFD)

One plan for each (~110) river basin in Europe;

River Basin Management Plan as main instrument for planning, reporting and evaluation of success;

Publication 2009, updates every 6 years;

Contents Characteristics of river basin [2005]; Environmental and economic analysis [2005]; Monitoring network [2006]; Results of public participation [2009]; Programme of measures operational [2012]; Established environmental objectives [2015]; Review of technical specifications [2015]


About 110 national and international River Basins in Europe

(40 RBDs are international)

~17,000 GWB~43% not at risk


WFDAdopted on 20.12.2000

River basin districts

Delineation water bodies

Analysis of pressures

and impacts

GOOD STATUS

OBJECTIVE

RBMP

Programmes of

measures

Design of monitoring

programmes

Classification of bodies ‘at risk’

Surveillance monitoring Operational monitoring

6 years cycle / Review

Characterisation of bodies

WFD key elementsNeed for action

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 10

GWB delineationWFD - Definition

‘Body of groundwater’a distinct volume of groundwater within an aquifer or aquifers

= management unit

‘Groundwater’all water, which is below the surface of the ground in the saturated zone and in direct contact with the ground or subsoil.

‘Aquifer’subsurface layer or layers of rock or other geological strata of sufficient porosity and permeability to allow either a significant flow of groundwater or the abstraction of significant quantities of groundwater.

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 11

GWB delineation Experiences

Groundwater body = Management Unit For adequat description of status

For comparing to environmental objectives and

For implementing measures

Experience - Most Member States started with: identification of geological and hydrogeological boundaries;

vulnerability maps, subsoil properties, risk potential, utilisation and protection need, economic importance and water management aspects

Aim to achieve efficient and practical management units considering administrative burden and financial efforts

Size depends on variation of characteristics and pressures

Grouping of bodies supports efficiency

An iterative and on-going process

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 12

Initial Characterisation all Groundwater Bodies

pressures & impacts, dependent aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems)

Further characterisation Groundwater Bodies at risk – (Annex II, 2.2, 2.3) Transboundary Groundwater Bodies – (Annex II, 2.3)

GWB characterisation Annex II

Basis for Risk Assessment

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 13

Risk Assessment - Status assessment

Article 5 Risk assessment"Good status at end of RBMP X+1" ?

Status assessment

RBMP X

RBMP X+1

Year

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 14

The Conceptual Model/UnderstandingKey element for WFD implementation

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homogeneity of layers (?) & distribution of contaminants

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The Conceptual Model/UnderstandingSimple version

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 17

WFD monitoring requirements

Chemical Monitoring - groundwater Surveillance Monitoring

all GW-bodies(at least every 6 years)

Operational Monitoring all GW-bodies identified at risk

(at least once per year)

Drinking Water Protected Areas All GW-bodies with human consumption of groundwater

Quantitative Monitoring - groundwater All GW-bodies

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 18

WFD Environmental objectivesGroundwater

Quantity balance between natural recharge and abstractions

Chemistry No saline or other intrusion

Compliance with numerical quality standards(Art 17 GWD)

No diminution of ecosystems

Trends Reversal of significant sustained upward trends

(Art 17 GWD)

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 19

Risks of pollutionfrom diffuse/point sourcesArt. 5 WFD (“bodies at risk”)

Quality standards /Thresholds

linked to chemical statusArt 4.1.b(ii) WFD

Identify and reverse significant and sustained

upward trendsArt 4.1.b(iii) WFD

Prevent / Limit Measures

Art 4.1.b(i) WFD

Drinking waterAbstraction

Art. 7 WFD

Groundwater= natural resource to be protected against pollution and deterioration, in particular for dependent ecosystems and for use in water supply (links with Article 7 of WFD about Drinking Water Protected Areas)

Groundwater issues tackled jointly by the WFD and the new GWD

Run-off

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 20

Groundwater Directive (2006/118/EC) Purpose (Article 1)

Establishes specific measures to prevent and control groundwater pollution responding to Article 17(1) and (2) of WFD, in particular:

Criteria for the assessment of good chemical status

Criteria for the identification and reversal of significant and sustained upward trends and the definition of starting points for trend reversals

Complements prevent/limit provisions of pollutants inputs contained in WFD and aims to prevent the deterioration of status of all bodies of groundwater

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 21

DefinitionsArticle 2

Groundwater quality standards (not to be exceeded)

Threshold values: GW standards to be set by Member States at local, regional or national level

Significant and sustained upward trend: statistically and environmentally significant increase in pollutant concentrations for which trend reversal is deemed necessary

Inputs of pollutants into groundwater: direct or indirect pollutant introduction due to human activity

Background level: concentration/value corresponding to no or very minor anthropogenic alteration

Baseline level: concentration/value setting reference point for trend identification (reference years 2007-2008)

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 22

Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (urban, agriculture, industrial)

EU-wide Quality standardsNitrates & pesticides

(more stringent TV if needed)

TV establishment at most appropriate level (local, regional, national), with account of impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, human toxicology and ecotoxicology knowledge

Common methodology

Drinking waterabstraction

Good chemical status criteriaArticle 3

Run-off

Threshold valuesfor “risk” substancesset by MS (end 2008) –

Transboundary coordination required

= WFD environmental objective(besides quantitative status covered by WFD)

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 23

Good chemical status criteria Annex I, Annex II

Annex I EU-wide groundwater quality standards: Nitrates: 50 mg/l,

Pesticides: 0.1 µg/l, and Total Pesticides: 0.5 µg/l

More stringent threshold values could be needed

Annex II

Guidelines for the establishment of threshold values

Minimum list of pollutants to be considered

Information to be provided

X

XX

XX

X

X

X

X

X

X

X – Threshold value: 8, 12, 14 µg/l (account of NBL + interactions)

– DW safeguard zone (DW standard of 10 µg/l): minimum treatment should apply = compliance to Art. 7(3) of WFD

X

DW safeguard zoneGROUNDWATER BODY= DWPAAQUATICECOSYSTEM

TERRESTRIALECOSYSTEM

X

X

X

X

aquaticECOSYSTEM

Threshold value: 8 µg/l



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Summary to be reportedin RBMP (way trends havebeen identified, reasons

for starting point fortrend reversal

Specific trendAssessment for

Point sourcepollution


Trend identification and reversal (Article 5, Annex IV)

TV

NBL

%

Identification of statistically and environmentally significant upward trends in Groundwater bodies at risk- Reversal of trends presenting a risk for associated

Ecosystems, human health or legitimate uses through the WFD Programme of Measures

Starting point for trend reversal as % of GW standard or TV (depending on trend and associated risk)

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 29

Trend identification and reversal Elements

2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Time (years)

Groundwater Quality Standard (GW-QS) or Threshold Value (TV)

Baseline Level

base year

Concentration

Natural Background Level

75 %

100 %

Starting point for ternd reversal as % of GW-QS or TV (depending on trend and associated risk)

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 30

Trend (Reversal) AssessmentTests

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Plumes assessment(Article 5.5)

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Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (urban, agriculture, industrial)

Limitation of inputs of non-hazardous pollutants, linkedto chemical status objectives

Prevention of inputsof hazardous substances


Prevent or Limit Measures (Article 6)

Run-off

• Based on WFD programmes of measures

• Diffuse sources to be considered

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 34

River Basin Management PlanProgrammes of Measures - 2009

Measures designed to protect waters, control abstraction,

control point source discharges liable to cause pollution(permit, investigation),

prevent and control diffuse sources of pollution(prohibition, permit: based on investigations)

… in the form of Basic measures (linked to effective implementation of parent

legislation) and

Supplementary measures (e.g. different specific instruments, economic incentives, research, education etc

Periodic reviews of authorisations / registrations based on regular monitoring

Provisions for derogations

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 35

INDUSTRY

POLICYgroundwater

POLICYWFD

AGRI-CULTUREURBAN

SECTOR

POLICYDrinking water

DRINKINGWATER

POLICYBathing water

POLICYBirds,

Habitats

POLICYSeveso,

IPPC

POLICYSewage sludge

landfill

POLICYPesticides,

Nitrates,biocides

POLICYUWW,CPD

POLICYEnv. Impact assessment

A complex policy and technical framework

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 36

Basic measureslinked to effective implementation of parent legislation

DirectivesPrevent pollution

Quality targets

Protected areas

Monitoring Measures

Nitrate x x x x x

Plant Protection

x x x

Biocides x x x

IPPC x x x x

Landfill x x

Sewage Sludge x x

UWWT x x x x x

……….. … … … … …

WFD/GWD x x x x x

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 37

Support to implementationEC Working Groups

Water DirectorsSteering of implementation process

Chair: Presidency, Co-chair: Commission

Strategic Co-ordination GroupCo-ordination of work programme

Chair: Commission

Stakeholders, NGO’s, Researchers, Experts, etc.

Art. 21 Committee

Working Group A“Ecological Status”Chair: JRC, DE and UK

Working Group D“Reporting”

Chair: Commission, EEA and FR

"GIS” Expert Network

Working Group C“Groundwater”

Chair: Commission and AT

“Chemical Monitoring”

Strategic Steering Group“WFD and Agriculture”

Chair: FR, UK and Commission

Strategic Steering Group“WFD and Hydromorphology”

Chair: DE, UK and Commission

Working Group E“Priority Substances”

Chair: Commission

“Chemical Monitoring”

Drafting Group

“Objectives/Exemptions/Economics”

Chair: Commission and DK

Stakeholder Forum“Water Scarcity and Droughts”

Chair: Commission

Co- Chair: FR/ES/IT

Working Group F“Floods”

Chair: Commission

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 38

Working Group C & Links

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 39

WG C Guidance Documents

CIS Guidance document N°15 on Groundwater Monitoring (adopted in December 2006)

CIS Guidance document N°16 on Groundwater in Drinking Water Protected Areas (adopted in June 2007)

CIS Guidance document N°17 on the application of the term “direct and indirect inputs” in the context of the Directive 2006/118/EC (adopted in June 2007)

Towards a guidance on Groundwater Chemical Status and Threshold Values (adopted by SCG Nov 2007)

under development…

(Merged) Guidance on the assessment of groundwater status and trends (currently drafted)

CIS Guidance on Land Use & Groundwater (currently drafted)

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 40

Source: Ministry of the environment, Québec, Canada

Active multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary cooperation.

Integration of different environmental policies

Conclusions & Perspectives

Integration and communication of scientific progress should be streamlined and made effective towards end-users links to WISE and FP7 funding) – “Transfer platforms” are needed

Need for strengthened exchanges, sharing practices,

Korsør, 15.9.2008 - Slide 41

WISE

http://water.europa.eu

European Commission, DG Environment

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water