1 What the WFD will mean for local authorities November 2007

2 Contents Timetable Guidance on RBMP WQ classification & proposed EQS’s POMS studies How the Plan might affect LA’s.

3 WFD Timetable (SI 722, 2003 to be amended )

4 CIS 2010 Reporting Sheets RBMP CIS reporting sheets (final draft) – May 2007 Agreed in principle by Water Directors – Dresden June 2007 RBMP 1 - Summary description of river basin management plan POM 1 - Summary of steps and measures taken to meet the requirements of Article 11 SWM 3 - Results of surface water monitoring programmes (status of surface water bodies) SWO 1 - System for classification for surface waters SWO 2 - Use of exemptions in surface waters GWM 2 - Results of groundwater monitoring programmes (status of groundwater bodies) GWO 1 - Classification systems established for groundwaters GWO 2 - Use of exemptions in groundwaters Reporting sheets define general reporting content Detailed description and specifications will be part of technical implementation (shemas – due mid-2008)

5 Under Article 4(3) of the Water Policy Regulations, 2003 the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government may issue guidance and general policy directions in relation to the implementation of the Regulations Who is the guidance directed at? The guidance is particularly directed at local authorities, EPA and other public authorities with the aim of providing practical steps to be taken to work towards effective delivery of the objectives in a co-ordinated way within individual river basin districts. In particular the steps needed to be taken by local authorities, EPA and other public authorities to align the objectives of regional guidance, county development plans (and their constituent Local Area Plans), Water Services Strategic Plans, other pollution reduction and/or control programmes (e.g. forestry programmes, farm inspections, review of IPPC licenses etc) with the stated objectives of river basin management plans are outlined. RBMP - A Practical Guide for Public Authorities

6 Local authority roles producing the River Basin Plan, securing the implementation of measures such as the provision of adequate wastewater infrastructure, checking compliance with the Nitrates Action Programme, reviewing and revising discharge licences under the Water Pollution Act (1977) to take account of the EQS contained within the surface water classification regulations (SI XX, 2007), realigning planning policy in line with water policy within the provisions of the Planning and Development Act (2000). RBMP - A Practical Guide for Public Authorities

7 River Basin Management 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

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

9 Status Classification

10 Status Classification – Environmental Quality Standards

11 Status Classification – Environmental Quality Standards Proposed standards for 11 Specific Relevant Pollutants in the ROI: ChromiumCypermethrin 2,4-DDiazinon DimethoateLinuron MecopropPhenol GlyphosateMancozeb Monochlorobenzene Retain SI 12 of 2001 standards for 7 Specific Relevant Pollutants: ArsenicCopper CyanideFluoride TolueneXylenes Zinc

12 River Basin Management 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

13 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

14 Programme of measures 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 Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) Birds Directive (79/409/EEC); Drinking Water Directive Major Accidents (Seveso) Directive Environmental Impact Assessment Directive Sewage Sludge Directive Urban Waste-water Treatment Directive Plant Protection Products Directive Nitrates Directive Habitats Directive The Integrated Pollution Prevention Control Directive

15 These plans are to be reviewed/realigned to ensure default objectives are delivered Section 4 & 16 discharge licences (Water Pollution Act, Local authorities) – to reflect Surface Water Classification Regulations, 2007 IPPC licensing (EPA) – to reflect Surface Water Classification Regulations, 2007 Forestry Regulations (Forest service) and Forestry Action Plans County Development Plans – modified to address issue of one-off housing and septic tanks. The planning code will be critical to safeguarding protecting areas and preventing deterioration. Potential use of safeguard zones for DWPAs The WFD prescribes a number of additional new regulations such as controls on dangerous substances, abstractions and physical modifications, which will contribute further towards full achievement of objectives. Provision is also made for additional voluntary supplementary measures (e.g. fiscal instrument, rehabilitation projects) Such measures will be limited and will likely be focused on sensitive/protected areas (where confidence is high that additional measures will deliver objectives) Programme of measures

16 Programme of measures 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 ?

17 RBMP - Template 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

18 Water Matters – Help Us Plan! The style and contents of the draft plan will follow from the contents of the SWMI booklet “Water Matters – Have your Say”, so that members of the public will be familiar with the messages and issues discussed. The template for the draft plan will set out the proposed contents of the published draft plan, a reporting tool and a series of background documents which will be available electronically fulfilling the Annex 7 and 2010 reporting sheet requirements. The main focus of the draft plan will be on the programme of measures to address each of the basin’s water management issues; how these programmes have been prioritised and where exemptions have been made. An electronic webtool will allow the public to visualise a waterbody and see which measures apply, what its status and objectives are, etc. Background documents will address the detailed requirements of responding to the 2010, 2005 sheets & WISE reporting. RBMP - Template

19 Water Matters – Help Us Plan! The draft plan will take on board DEHLG Planning guidance (in prep.) and any other relevant guidance or input from UK TAG members’ guidance, SWMI reports or templates. Any weaknesses or significant gaps identified in the current suite of SWMI consultation exercises will also be highlighted in the draft plan. Key stakeholders will be consulted about how to deliver the plan’s messages. The template will be agreed by the NS WFD Co-ordination group by December Ideally, professionally edited, generic text for one international basin would be provided (around 60 pages in length) which would be available for other basins to customise. The NS WFD Co-ordination group will be responsible for technical document sign off (proposed May 2008). NI ministerial and advisory council sign off processes will follow (publication December 2008). RBMP - Template

20 River Basin Management Process Default objectives Economic & technical feasibility criteria Project Vision Economic profiles RBD Plan Report Visualiser WISE Data & Reporting Information LIMS/Labinfo Monitoring data Status Tool WB Status GIS Register of Protected Areas GIS WBs / Pressure layers etc EMS Progress Tracker GIS (15 POMS Studies) Revised Risk Assessments 15 POMS Studies Basic & supplementary measures 15 POMS Studies Prioritisation process RBD Review & Consultations POM for each WB Exemptions for each WB

21 Plan Reporting Tool

22 Plan Reporting Tool 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

23 River Basin Management 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

24 Local Authority Actions

25 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

26 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.

27 Thank You!