Urban Waste Water Reporting: a common approach! Bob Dekker the Netherlands
Some history 1990/1991: Bob was there! 1993: Commission Decision on formats for the presentation of national programmes 1999: Recommendations on formats for Situation reports and monitoring information 2001: operational database for monitoring information (UWWT database) 2003: use for 3rd Implementation Report 2004: start of UWWTD-REP working group
Why UWWTD-REP? More coherence in UWWTD reporting needed Clarification of terms and definitions Enlargement Integration into WISE as a long-term perspective
Which tasks? To prepare a Guidance document on reporting for UWWTD To identify data specific for UWWTD, and those shared between UWWTD and WFD To set up a reporting mechanism as a continuous exercise for all MS As the overall goal – to adjust the existing UWWTD database to updated reporting mechanism
Organisation and planning According to mandate: Active role for UWWTD-REP members: volunteers for preparation of documents Steering group (D/A/F/IRL/NL/ETC) Subgroup on UWWTD database and information exchange (chaired by F) Draft and final guidance document to be discussed in UWWTD-REP, presented to UWWTD Committee and Water Directors and approved by UWWTD Committee by 22/12/05 at the latest.
Practice 2004 Practice in line with mandate 17th UWWTD Committee meeting (23 Nov.): - much appreciation for UWWTD-REP products - agreement on a lot of issues (e.g. reporting deadlines, definition of agglomeration/big city, assessment methodology on compliance of collecting systems) - final versions to be presented to the next Committee meeting for approval
Practice 2005/2006 Reopening of discussion on quite a number of agreed issues No presentation of final guidance document for approval by the Committee Core problems: - new reporting deadlines (186 months) - new and disproportionate details for reporting
Examples Period of 6 months between reference year and reporting deadline: - absolutely unfeasible for MS - not required by the UWWTD - Commission Decision 93/481/EEC on formats of the Art. 17 Implementation programmes: 18 months! New UWWT Database: detailed information such as actual overflow frequencies per agglomeration (even beyond the scope of the Art. 15 monitoring obligations!)
How to proceed? MS: urgent need for action indeed! Commission: acknowledge practical difficulties of MS to provide new data within short deadlines! Build on the 2004 Committee agreements Reanimate UWWTD-REP for completing the job in a fruitful way: - willingness for achieving consensus - minor adjustments of existing UWWT database for reporting 2006 (on reference year 2004) - take more time for major adjustments; for integration into WISE close cooperation with CIS reporting group needed!
Finally …. we have to keep in mind: Core business of Directive 91/271/EEC is reducing urban waste water discharges Current reporting practices appear to give the Commission ample opportunities for compliance checks and infringement procedures! Indispensable: - sound cooperation between Commission and MS - broadly supported electronic questionnaire Up to a common approach!
To avoid misunderstanding …. Not the intention of MS! In Commission’s eyes probably over the top! Let ‘s cooperate!