Purpose Independent piece of legislation, closely integrated in a larger regulatory framework (complement to WFD): prevent deterioration protect, enhance and restore all groundwater bodies promote sustainable groundwater use ensure reduction of pollution through specific measures for the progressive reduction of discharges contribute to mitigating effects of floods and droughts Built on Articles 4, 7 and 11 of WFD (no new objectives)

Criteria for assessing good groundwater status Requirements in WFD Article 17: Strategies to prevent and control pollution of groundwater (end 2002) Criteria for assessing good groundwater status Criteria for identification of significant and sustained upward trends Criteria for definition on starting points for trend reversals Broader approach agreed by Water Directors, leading to the Conceptual approach: Issue Paper Synthesis Paper

Definitions to be clarified (based on the CIS working group reports) Elements of GWD proposal (1) Definitions to be clarified (based on the CIS working group reports) pressures and impacts, typology, classes groundwater body, boundaries of groundwater bodies, unpolluted groundwater good status (substances, standards), high quality status risk-based approach, receptor-based approach, combined approach etc.

Measures to prevent and limit the input of pollutants into groundwater Elements of GWD proposal (2) Measures to prevent and limit the input of pollutants into groundwater identification of substances (or groups of substances) to be prevented: based on update of 80/68/EEC Directive list I, taking into account Annexes VIII, IX and X of the WFD, which should be agreed at EU level selection of substances to be limited (also agreed at EU level) based on additional standards needed to define ‘good chemical status’ (naturally occurring and anthropogenic substances) setting pre-defined standards for limited number of substances deriving risk or receptor-based standards, tailor made to local situation (left to MS judgement)

Measures to reverse significant and sustained upward trends Elements of GWD proposal (3) Measures to reverse significant and sustained upward trends purpose to prevent deterioration of groundwater which is in a ‘good chemical status’ any significant trend should be reversed independently from the level criteria to be defined: pollutant concentration at the time of trend assessment, pollutant level that should not be attained within a given time horizon According to provisions of Annex V of WFD: first trend assessment in 2011

Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Elements of GWD proposal (4) Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies control of conductivity changes (indicative of saline or other intrusion), and of quality standards (to be defined) in accordance to Article 17 of FWD in this context, status would correspond to status quo should not result in: failure to achieve objectives for associated surface waters any significant diminution in the ecological or chemical quality of surface waters any significant damage to terrestrial ecosystems directly depending on the groundwater body

Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Elements of GWD proposal (5) Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies changes in groundwater flow patterns considered as saline or other intrusions when: sustained expansion of volume of groundwater body changes of chemical composition within the body, as indicated by conductivity result in failure to achieve environmental objectives for associated surface waters, in significant diminution of the ecological or chemical quality of such bodies or lead to significant damage to dependent terrestrial ecosystems

Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Elements of GWD proposal (6) Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Quality standards for defining good chemical status: 50 mg/L nitrate target in all groundwater maximum permissible concentrations for pesticides as laid down by 98/83/EC, 91/414/EEC and 98/5/EC Directives other quality standards to be defined at EU level, in combination with locally derived (tighter) standards, taking into account (i) background concentrations, (ii) interaction groundwater/associated surface waters, (iii) sensitivity of ecosystems to pollutant inputs from groundwater and groundwater uses

Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Elements of GWD proposal (7) Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Any standard that is derived should state: a limit (concentration) or a loading (concentration and volume) a compliance point a summary statistic of how often the limit may be exceeded and a time period over which the statistic applies the statistical confidence of measurements with which non-compliance is to be demonstrated before failure is confirmed

Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies Elements of GWD proposal (8) Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies The classification of a body of groundwater would depend on the following criteria: actual pollutant concentrations effect of new inputs of pollutants to good status body of groundwater time change of pollutant concentrations within the current River Basin Management Plan reporting cycle Protection of pristine groundwater: introduction of high chemical status

Measures to protect, enhance and restore groundwater bodies Elements of GWD proposal (9) Measures to protect, enhance and restore groundwater bodies no further specification required over and above the other measures noted in previous slides, with the exception of measures to protect “high chemical status” bodies of groundwater from deterioration (needs to be defined). This may be achieved by using prevent and limit measures envisaged by the WFD (no restoration target)

Elements of GWD proposal (10) Protected areas Protected Area designations that are relevant to groundwater are: Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Nitrate Directive 91/676/EEC) Nutrient Sensitive Areas (Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC) Bathing Waters (Bathing Waters Directive 76/160/EEC) Special Areas of Conservation or Protection Areas (Habitats and Birds Directives 92/43/EEC and 79/409/EEC) Drinking Water Protected Area (designated under WFD) a new groundwater Protected Area could be added but would require objective specifications within the GWD

Elements of GWD proposal (11) Other elements Besides Articles 4, 7 and 11, other elements issued from the WFD are directly relevant to GWD and should be adapted on the basis of the CIS Working Group reports: administrative arrangements within river basin districts economic analysis (Article 5) register of protected areas (Article 6) monitoring (Article 8) recovery of costs for water services (Article 9) combined approach for point and diffuse sources (Art. 10)

Elements of GWD proposal (12) Other elements (ctd) issues which cannot be dealt with at Member State level (Article 12) river basin management plans (Article 13) public information and consultation (Article 14) reporting (Article 15) strategies against pollution of water (Article 16)

Timetable                       Nov. 2001 April 2002 Nov. 2002 Water Directors Ghent, Nov. 2001  1st EAF meeting 23/11/2001  Case studies       2nd EAF meeting 26/03/2002  End of Conceptual Phase (workshop)  Economic study        Waters Directors Valencia, June 2002  3rd EAF meeting 25/06/2002  4th EAF meeting 7/8 October 2002  GWD proposal  Water Directors Copenhaguen, 21/11/02 