Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Because of these benefits we have agreed and signed up to a number of international
and EU commitments. Of our commitments, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is
the principal driver for action to address DWPA, though not the only one - others include
the Bathing Waters Directive and the Birds & Habitats Directives.
Water Framework Directive
The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) (see
http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water/water-framework/index_en. html) aims to
ensure the integrity of the water environment and its associated eco-system functions by
requiring the maintenance of 'high ecological and chemical status' of surface waters
where it exists, and aiming to achieve 'good ecological and chemical status' for surface
waters and 'good chemical status' for ground waters. The WFD applies to all waters
(rivers, lakes, estuaries, coastal waters out to one nautical mile, and ground waters). The
WFD must address both point source and diffuse source pollution where it impacts on
achieving WFD objectives. The details of the WFD timetable are shown in Table 2.
Member states are required to split their countries into River Basin Districts (RBD) and
produce a draft River Basin Management Plan for each RBD by December 2008 — and
finalise these plans by 2009. The plans will bring together information relevant to each
RBD, including the environmental objectives for each water body and a summary
programme of measures which will be taken to achieve those objectives.
Table 2. Water Framework Directive implementation timeline
(for more details see the Defra website (http://defraweb)
Year
Requirements under WFD
March 2005
Reports to be submitted to EU Commission showing first
assessment of risk (characterisation) of water bodies not meeting
the environmental objectives of the WFD. This work is to be
refined in a second phase of characterisation in 2005-07, and
carried forward in a monitoring programme from 2006 to 2008.
2008
Draft river basin management plans (RBMPs) to be prepared at
the regional (river basin district) level, with active involvement of
interested parties, showing proposed environmental objectives for
each water body. RBMPs must also summarise programmes of
measures (POMs) to be applied, including addressing DWPA. The
WFD states expressly that measures shall consist of 'for diffuse
sources liable to cause pollution, measures to prevent or control
the input of pollutants'.
2009
RBMPs to be published in final form.
2012
POMs summarised in the RBMPs to be made operational.
Environmental objectives in RBMPs to be met (except for water
bodies where an extended deadline has been set); start of second
round of RBMPs to achieve outcomes in 2021.
2015
2021
Start of third round of RBMPs to achieve outcomes in 2027.
Search WWH ::
Custom Search