Seminar for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Countries (EECCA) on Water Statistics September 2012 Almaty, Kazakhstan Overview of EEA’s Water Indicators and Water Exploitation Index (WEI+) Nihat ZAL Project manager-Pan European Forest Issues

The role of European Environment Agency (EEA) in the Water area Water Information System for Europe (WISE) EEA Priority Data flow for Quality in: rivers, lakes, groundwater, transitional, coastal and marine waters Water quantity Updated annually Moral rather than mandatory reporting obligation

The role of European Environment Agency (EEA) in the Water area Water Information System for Europe (WISE) Indicator development on EU-level (Core Set of Indicators-CSI)

The role of European Environment Agency (EEA) in the Water area Water Information System for Europe (WISE) Indicator development on EU-level (Core Set of Indicators-CSI) Link to policy processes in the area of freshwater and marine (WFD and MSFD)-Assessment and Reporting

Astana Ministerial Conference The European Environment Agency (EEA) has produced a series of four pan-European 'state of Europe's environment' reports in support of the UNECE 'Environment for Europe' process over the past 20 years EEA, supported by UNECE, has prepared a Europe's environment — An Assessment of Assessments (EE-AoA) focusing on the two themes of the Astana conference: water and related ecosystems, and green economy. Link to policy processes-Assessment and Reporting

The role of European Environment Agency (EEA) in the Water area Scarcity and droughts — particularly in Southern Europe and Central Asia with their severe lack of, and high demand for, water Access to safe drinking water or adequate sanitation still remains problem affecting approx. 120 million people in the pan-European region

What is an environmental indicator? An environmental indicator is a measure, generally quantitative, that can be used to illustrate and communicate complex environmental phenomena simply, including trends and progress over time — and thus helps provide insight into the state of the environment (EEA, 2005). assessing the 'distance ‑ to-target monitor progress EEA indicators are developed against the driving force, pressure, state, impact, and response (DPSIR) assessment framework. This framework helps to structure thinking about the interplay between the environment and socio-economic activities. It is used to help design assessments, identify indicators, and communicate results and can support improved environmental monitoring and information collection (Stanners et al., 2007). EEA Water Indicators

Industry Energy Agriculture Aquaculture Households Tourism Climate change Point source pollution Diffuse source pollution Water abstraction Physical intrusions Water quantity Groundwater status Ecological status: Chemical Physcial Biological Loss of habitat/species ill/health Droughts/floods Desertification Salinisation Loss of amenity Coastal erosion Non-indigenous species Eutrophication Acidification Water use restrictions Alternative supplies Subsidised water prices Improved information Demand side management Voluntary agreements Regional conflicts Waste water treatment Ban on products Reservoirs Driving forces Pressures State Impacts Responses A generic DPSIR framework for water

EEA Water Indicators

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) Organic waste can reduce chemical and biological quality of river water. Sources of organic matter are discharges from wastewater treatment plants, industrial effluents and agricultural run-off. In European rivers, the oxygen demanding substances measured as BOD and total ammonium have decreased by 50 % from 1992 to 2009

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 3- Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) Large inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to water bodies from urban areas, industry and agricultural areas can lead to eutrophication. Reductions in the levels of freshwater nutrients over the last two decades primarily reflect improvements in wastewater treatment. Emissions from agriculture continue to be a significant source.

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 4- Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) 3- Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 5- Bathing water quality (CSI 022) 4- Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) 3- Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) The Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) was designed to protect the public from accidental and chronic pollution incidents, which could cause illness from recreational water use. The quality of water at designated bathing waters in Europe (coastal and inland) has improved significantly since 1990

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 5- Bathing water quality (CSI 022) 6- Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) 4- Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) 3- Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) Chlorophyll-a is used as an estimate of phytoplankton biomass. The objective of the indicator is to demonstrate the effects of measures taken to reduce discharges of nutrients on phytoplankton concentrations Although nutrient concentrations in some European sea areas decreased from 1985 to 2008, these changes were not clearly reflected in chlorophyll-a concentrations: of the 546 stations reported to the EEA the majority of the stations (89%) indicated no statistically significant change

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 5- Bathing water quality (CSI 022) 6- Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) 4- Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) 3- Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) 7- Urban waste water treatment (CSI 024) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) About 80 % of the population is connected to waste water treatment in Northern and Southern European countries. The connection rate in Central European countries is even higher, at 90 %. On the basis of data reported in , about 65 % of total population is connected to wastewater treatment in the countries of Eastern Europe. Average connection in South-Eastern Europe (Turkey, Bulgaria and Romania) is about 40 %.

EEA Indicators for water EEA CORE SET OF INDICATORS (CSI) 5- Bathing water quality (CSI 022) 6- Chlorophyll in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 023) 4- Nutrients in transitional, coastal and marine waters (CSI 021) 3- Nutrients in freshwater (CSI 020) 7- Urban waste water treatment (CSI 024) 2- Oxygen consuming substances in rivers (CSI 019) 1- Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) 8- Gross nutrients balance (CSI 025) The gross nutrient balance for nitrogen provides an indication of potential water pollution and identifies those agricultural areas and systems with very high nitrogen loadings.

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index Water abstraction as a percentage of the freshwater resource provides a good picture, at the national level, of the pressures on resources in a simple manner that is easy to understand, and shows trends over time. The indicator shows how total water abstraction puts pressure on water resources by identifying countries with high abstraction in relation to resources and therefore prone to water stress. Changes in the WEI help to analyse how changes in abstraction impact on freshwater resources by increasing pressure on them or making them more sustainable. Indicators similar to the WEI, developed by EU and other initiatives

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index The water exploitation index (WEI), or withdrawal ratio, in a country is defined as the mean annual total abstraction of fresh water divided by the long-term average freshwater resources. It describes how the total water abstraction puts pressure on water resources. Available Longterm Freshwater Resources = Precipitation(ltaa) – Actual Evapotranspiration(ltaa) + External Inflow(ltaa) not water stressed (WEI<20%) stressed (40%<WEI<20%) severely stressed (WEI>40%) (unsustainable water use)

Spatial, temporal and sectoral resolution Water abstraction Water quantity Droughts/floods Desertification Salinization Erosion Eutrophication Acidification Water use restrictions Alternative supplies Subsidised water prices Improved information Demand side management Voluntary agreements Regional conflicts Waste water treatment Ban on products Reservoirs Driving forces Pressures State Impacts Responses A generic DPSIR framework for WEI+

ResponseImpactStatePressureDriving force Climate change Precipitation Evapotranspiration Temperature Natural water balance Drought-net precipitation deficit Water Exploitation Index (WEI) Ecological minimum flow Man-made factors Natural factors Households tourism Agriculture Industrial production Power plants Water abstraction for Public water supply Irrigation Process water Cooling water Over-abstraction Decreasing groundwater levels Salt water intrusion Low river flows Low reservoir levels Loss of wetlands Adverse ecological effects An amount of water that is not actually available for abstraction since it needs to be left in the catchment to maintain its ecological status (in line with WFD) or other legal requirements (e.g. treaties in transboundary rivers)

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index Current state of WEI in Europe These figure should, however, be interpreted with caution. First, EU-wide data mask regional differences (EEA, 2009). Second, the different sectors vary greatly in how they use water. For example, in the agricultural sector consumption of water through crop growth and evaporation typically means that only about 30 % of the amount abstracted is returned to the aquatic ecosystem from which it was taken. Contrastingly, energy production returns most of the water it uses, albeit in altered state, e.g. at a higher temperature (CSI 18). (Environmental Indicator Report 2012)

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index Current state of WEI in Europe (2007)

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index Current state of WEI in Europe Current water availability and changes expected by 2030

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index While the water abstraction as a percentage of the freshwater resource provides a good picture of the pressures on resources in a simple manner that is easy to communicate and understand, issues related to definitions of the WEI parameters, the temporal and spatial scales of the application, and the data quality and accuracy remain open and in some cases debatable, and can lead to a biased interpretation of the extend and severity of water stress conditions over Europe The traditional spatial scale of implementation of the WEI (country level) is too aggregated and fails to depict the regional variability within the country Spatial scale disaggregation Due to the regional disaggregation, we can see the water stress variability which is not depicted if WEI is calculated at country level

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index Temporal scale disaggregation Neglecting the seasonal variation and running calculations only at annual level can fail to depict important stress conditions that may occur over summer

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index Revising the definition of “availability” Incorporating Returned Water and Water Requirement (i.e. Environmental Flows) parameters Returned Water can also be incorporated in the WEI+ calculations. Returned water refers to the volume of water that is returned and available for re-use in the catchments, which in the case of e.g. cooling water may be a significant volume. WEI Estonia at RBD level East Estonia is using a lot of water for energy cooling purposes, and since this is not accounted for in WEI as a return, it looks as extremely water stressed

Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018)- Water Exploitation Index WEI+ and the need for improved data/statistics  Disaggregated data at the right spatial and temporal scale are essential  River Basin District, Subunit, NUTS, River Basins all are reasonable scales  Further breakdown of the WEI+ per source (surface water, groundwater) is beneficial in order to evaluate the degree of exploitation of each of these sources, but needs strong data in this extend  Accuracy of the reported data (it essential that the reported data are strictly aligned to the definitions when we use them for the production of indicators, or else we communicate wrong messages!) Addressing the issue of water scarcity requires not only a quantitative knowledge of water abstraction by each economic sector but also a strong understanding of the driving forces behind it. Critically, it is only by changing these driving forces that more sustainable management of water can be achieved (Water resources across Europe).

ResponseImpactStatePressureDriving force Climate change Precipitation Evapotranspiration Temperature Natural water balance Drought-net precipitation deficit Water Exploitation Index (WEI) Ecological minimum flow Man-made factors Natural factors Households tourism Agriculture Industrial production Power plants Water abstraction for Public water supply Irrigation Process water Cooling water Over-abstraction Decreasing groundwater levels Salt water intrusion Low river flows Low reservoir levels Loss of wetlands Adverse ecological effects Demand management -Water saving -Increasing efficiency -Water pricing -Information campaigns -Water restrictions -Reducing leakage Supply management -Increasing storage (reservoirs, groundwater recharge) -Reusing wastewater -Desalination -Water transfers Integrated water management -River basin management plans -Drought management plans

Seminar for Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia Countries (EECCA) on Water Statistics September 2012 Almaty, Kazakhstan Thanks for your attention!.. Nihat ZAL Project manager-Pan European Forest Issues