Selecting cost effective abatement measures to achieve good water status
with the environmental costing model
S. Broekx 1, E. Meynaerts 1, P. Vercaemst 1, S. Ochelen 2, K. Van Hoof 3
1 Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, B-2400 Mol, Belgium, tel +32 14 33 59 59, steven.broekx@vito.be
2 Flemish Environment Administration (LNE), Koning Albert II laan 20 bus 8, B-1000 Brussel, Belgium, tel +32 2 553 81 44, sara.ochelen@lin.vlaanderen.be
3 Flemish Environment Agency (VMM), A. Van de Maelestraat 96, B-9320 Erembodegem, Belgium, tel +32 53 72 66 93, k.vanhoof@vmm.be
1 INTRODUCTION
In Flanders, the Environmental Costing Model (Milieukostenmodel or MKM in Dutch) provides useful economic insights to assist policy-makers in designing a costeffective programme of measures to achieve a good water state as stipulated in the European Water Framework Directive. The BAT-Centre of the Flemish
Institute for Technological Research (VITO) started in June 2001, under the authority of AMINAL, with the development of the Environmental Costing Model. The
Flemish Government aspires with this project the development of a tool to (i) determine the costs of environmental policy and (ii) contribute to a more efficient
environmental policy by indicating how environmental targets can be realised at the lowest possible cost. Initially, the model is developed for the most important
industrial air pollution sources in Flanders. By analogy with atmospheric pollution, the BAT-Centre started with a test case for ‘pollution of surface water’ which
focuses on the pollutants P, N, COD, the Nete basin and multiple emission sources (industry, households, agriculture).
2 ROLE OF COST EFFECTIVENESS ANALYSIS WITHIN THE
WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
The European Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires member states to
implement the necessary measures to ensure a good ecological and chemical
status of surface and groundwater by 2015. To achieve this, member states
must carry out a number of steps. A cost effectiveness analysis (CEA) has to be
applied to determine the combination of measures to be applied in the
programme of measures. Calculating the cost and the effectiveness of measures
is also essential to assess whether or not costs can be considered
disproportionate and to justify potential derogations.
3 METHODOLOGY
By means of linear programming the MKM determines the least cost
combination of abatement measures to satisfy multi-pollutant reduction
targets. Reduction targets are determined by comparing VLAREM II
standards with actual measurements in the reference period and this for each
water body. Targets are compared with different possibilities to achieve them.
Results are least cost combinations, but can also be a ranking in costeffectiveness of measures which can be useful for priority setting.
Source:WATECO Guidance Document No. 1
4 CASE STUDY: NETE BASIN
5 FIRST RESULTS
The Nete is a tributary of the Scheldt river. The basin is part of the Flanders
Region in Belgium. It has a surface of 1.673 km² and a total length of
watercourses of 2.224 km. Approximately 600.000 inhabitants live in the basin
and 4.121 companies are situated inside the region. Targets in the case study are
set for each VHA-zone (Flemish hydrographic zones). This subdivision is applied
as the subdivision in water bodies was not known at the beginning of this study
and data on emissions are available on this level. As the division into water
bodies is less detailed than VHA-zones, this is not an issue for further
development.
First results show that approximately 60 million € or 100 € per inhabitant per
year is needed annually to achieve the standards in the Nete basin and this
for the pollutants COD, Ntot and Ptot. The majority of these annual costs
result from the connection of households to collective waste water treatment
plants and setting nitrate targets for agriculture more stringent.
VHA - zones
Extension of the model with the remaining basins in Flanders is foreseen in
2007 and the first half of 2008. Improvement of the methodology is focused
on improving data on households and agriculture and establishing a link
between the MKM and the water quality model PEGASE, which is used by
the Flemish Environment Agency for the Scheldt basin.
Sector
Agriculture diffuse
emissions
Agriculture point
emissions
Total annual cost
k€
%
% Reduction
COD
Ntot
Ptot
16.838
29%
0%
29%
37%
1.768
3%
10%
0%
3%
Industry large
9.779
17%
21%
15%
17%
Industry small
4.058
7%
5%
2%
1%
Households
26.349
45%
64%
54%
41%
Total
58.792
100%
100%
100%
100%