Water Framework Directive
Establishing Environmental Objectives
Kevin Forde
Assistant Principal
Water Quality
Seminar on Surface Waters and Groundwater Regulations
Athlone, 14 April 2010
Summary
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WFD Overview
Implementation in Ireland
Key progress to date
River Basin Management Plans
WFD Overview
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Directive adopted in 2000
New approach to water protection
Objectives:
 Achieve good status by 2015
(provision for exemptions)
 Maintain high status of waters where
it exists
 Prevent deterioration in water status
River Basin Management Plans and
Programmes of Measures in 6 year
cycles
Key aspects of the Directive
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Catchment-based
Holistic
Ecological
Integration with other plans and policy areas
Public participation
River Basin Management Plans and Programmes of Measures
River Basin Planning Process
Monitor water bodies
Classify their status
Set objectives
Programmes of Measures
Implement
Review performance
WFD – Planning Cycles
1st
River
Basin
Plan
Identify
Risks
2005
2006
Monitor
Water
Status
2009
2nd
River
Basin
Plan
3rd
River
Basin
Plan
2015
2021
2027
Measures Required by WFD
Existing EU Directives
 Bathing Waters
 Birds
 Drinking Water
 Environmental Impact Assessment
 Habitats
 Integrated Pollution Prevention Control
 Major Accidents (Seveso)
 Nitrates
 Plant Protection Products
 Sewage Sludge
 Urban Waste-water Treatment
Additional Specified Measures
Cost recovery of water services
Efficient and sustainable water use
Protection of drinking water sources
Abstractions and impoundments
Supplementary Measures
Additional measures necessary to
achieve environmental objectives
Implementation of WFD in Ireland
WFD Regulations 2003
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Transposition of Directive
River Basin Districts
Coordinating local authorities
Duties on public authorities
Monitoring
Reporting
Public participation
Coordination with Northern Ireland
Surface Waters Regulations 2009
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Give further effect to provisions of WFD
Classification of surface waters
Give legal effect to standards
Basis for setting environmental objectives
Legal obligation to achieve objectives
Requirement for pollutant inventories and pollution reduction
plans and programmes
Adoption of River Basin Management Plans
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Plans to be adopted by Councils
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by 30 April by reserved function
or by 14 May by executive function
Adopted so far by 23 of 34 local authorities
EPA to report to the Minister on plans by 31 May indicating any
amendments considered necessary
Minister to make amendments (if any) by 30 June
Public consultation on Draft Plans
Over 300 Submissions received
High Level Issues
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Objectives overly ambitious (unachievable)
Plans too vague re objectives and measures
Exemptions need to be adequately justified
Need to specify future administrative and coordination arrangements
Responses
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Objectives reviewed in terms of technical feasibility and natural recovery
More detail on measures provided in Water Management Unit Action
Plans
Administrative arrangements to be reviewed
River Basin Planning Outputs
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North-South Coordination Document
- ‘Managing our Shared Waters’
River Basin Management Plan
Water Management Unit Action Plans
Online Water-Maps tool (www.wfdireland.ie)
Background Documents
Sub-basin plans (Freshwater Pearl Mussel)
Environmental Objectives in Plans
High or Good Status
Currently
By 2015
Rivers 2493 (54%) 3173 (69%)
Lakes 533 (65%)
683 (84%)
Achievements
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WFD Monitoring programme
River Basin Management Plans
Continued high priority to WSIP
Alignment of WSIP with objectives in RBMPs
More comprehensive legal framework
Thank You