1 What happens next? November 2007

2 Contents WFD timetable & consultations The River Basin Management Planning Process Applying classification Making the Programme of Measures The draft River Basin Management Plan How the Plan might affect LA’s.

3 WFD Timetable

4 Water Matters – Have Your Say! Formal consultation period finishes in December 2007 A digest of all responses will be produced by spring 2008 The submissions will help to identify – any issues that the booklet missed – comments about the issues in the SE waters (geographical problems) – consensus on the proposed measures for each topic – this will shape how the actions are applied in the SE river basin district Consultation inputs will be incorporated into the draft plan (Dec 08) Further consultations on the draft plan will shape the final plan (Dec 09)

5 The River Basin Management Planning Process Monitor water bodies Classify their “status” Default Objectives This is a complex process ! What objectives apply ? Which pressures ? What are key risk factors ? What are technical options ? What are the most cost effective measures ? What is a realistic timeframe for implementation ? Set Objectives Programmes of Measures Implement Review performance Prevent deterioration Maintain high status Protected area objectives Most stringent applies ! Restoration to at least good status by 2015 Source: Dr C Byrne DEHLG

6 Applying Classification Min Objective ECOLOGICAL STATUS HIGH GOOD MODERATE POOR BAD Quality Standards Slight No or minimal Moderate Major Bad Good Status = Good ecological status & good chemical status

7 Applying Classification

8 Proposed standards for 18 Specific Relevant Pollutants

9 Making the Programme of measures Schedule of POMS Studies & Lead RBDs Leading RBDMeasures & Standards Study Name WRBD 1. On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems 2. Forest and Water High status sites ShRBD 3. Freshwater Morphology SERBD 4. Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards SWRBD 5. Industrial & Municipal Regulation 6. Dangerous Substances 7. Marine Morphology 8. Heavily Modified Water Bodies & Artificial Water Bodies 9. Water Balance Model for Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards ERBD 10. Abstraction Pressures 11. Groundwater Risk from Diffuse Mobile Organics 12. Urban Pressures in rivers, transitional and ground waters 13. Further Economic Characterisation

10 Focussed supplementary measures where basic measures not enough Other prescribed basic measures e.g. New controls on dangerous substance discharges, abstractions and physical modifications Source: Dr C Byrne DEHLG The Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC); The Birds Directive (79/409/EEC); The Drinking Water Directive (80/778/EEC) as amended by Directive (98/83/EC); The Major Accidents (Seveso) Directive (96/82/EC); The Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (85/337/EEC); The Sewage Sludge Directive (86/278/EEC); The Urban Waste-water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC); The Plant Protection Products Directive (91/414/EEC); The Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC); The Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC) ; The Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Directive (96/61/EC). Making the Programme of measures

11 Paramount - Protected areas and protection of good/high status waters must be addressed. Thereafter, critical factors should be taken into account in prioritising waterbodies for restoration under the various programmes and plans; The current status of water body (Distance to target) Critical risk factors (e.g. current scale of pressure, performance of wastewater treatment facilities, pollution pathway factors such as surface water run-off risk, groundwater vulnerability) The predicted trend in pressures causing failure by 2015 The technical challenge of implementing the necessary work on the ground in time for Costs ? Making the Programme of measures

12 The draft River Basin Management Plan 2010 report to Minister & commission March 2010 Agencies “publish” RBD draft Plan December 2008 RBD final Plan August 2009 RBD Consultants & Agencies Background Information (POMS, class etc) December 2008 RBD Consultants & Agencies Plan Report Tool Dec 08/Aug 09 WISE Information March 2010

13 The draft RBM Plan Reporting Tool

14 TYPOLOGY – text eg an upland river in an alkaline area etc PROTECTED STATUS – Reg of Protected Area tick list table (citation text?) MONITORING SITES – table of sites within the waterbody with co-ords, code, programme (S/O/I), list of status elements measured & who monitors STATUS – table of overall WFD status and sub elements (Annex 5) - eg rivers biology, morph, hydro, phys-chem and overall chemical, date status calculated –should a history be presented or is 2007 baseline to be added to? –should full chemical status be presented or a summary listing failures? DEFAULT OBJECTIVES – table stating default objective and recording any modifications (ie exemption or revised timescales) POMS – tick list table (based on simplified 2010 format) –SWMI topic and key measures themes for each (eg WWTP/CSO upgrade, industrial license review, landfill study, SSRS/farm survey, septic tank restrictions, forestry restrictions, dang subs monitoring, abstraction license, reduction programme, morph restoration action, planning restrictions, aliens) –Also need the by who and when The draft RBM Plan Reporting Tool

15 Local Authority Actions

16 Local Authority Actions MIR - New national licensing system for WWTS & licence reviews LAs will be required to obtain licenses for treatment plants, secure WSIP resources for upgrades and undertake review of all Section 4 and 16 industry discharge licenses and undertake enforcement regarding the industrial licences Other Points - Controls adequate. Compliance + enforcement critical LAs will be required to complete registration and risk assessment of these facilities, where necessary secure resources for remedial measures and to undertake enforcement activities Agriculture - NAP adequate. But review in Sensitive areas LAs will be required to undertake SSRS investigations in at risk/impacted catchments to assess NAP compliance, with follow-up farm surveys and where necessary to undertake pollution enforcement activities Septic Tanks - Guidance. Identify high risk areas + modify development plans LAs will be required to align land use policy, secure resources for sewering priority areas and where necessary to undertake pollution enforcement activities Forestry - Guidance. Prohibit afforestation in high risk areas LAs will be required to align land use policy and where necessary to undertake pollution enforcement activities

17 Local Authority Actions Dangerous Substance - New water quality standards + inclusion in discharge licences As MIR - LAs will be required to undertake review of all Section 4 and 16 industry discharge licenses and undertake enforcement regarding the industrial licences – further LA activities are likely to become licensed in future for example CSO’s weed spraying etc Morphology - New national registration & licensing system + guidance Likely lead role to EPA however LAs may be required to undertake licensing of small activities, include morphology considerations in the planning approvals processes and in priority areas secure resources for restoration measures, LAs may also be required to apply for morphology licenses for their own schemes Abstractions - New national registration & licensing system + guidance Likely lead role to EPA however LAs may be required to undertake licensing of small activities and apply for abstraction licenses for major schemes Protected areas – Enforcement of Plans and where necessary land use control LAs will be required to align land use policy and where necessary to assess development applications in designated catchments Additional activities Educational awareness programmes – in support of all significant issues Response to the local issues eg alien species as identified in the SWMI.

18 Thank You!