Significant Water Management Issues (SWMI) – Update South Eastern River Basin District March 2007

SWMI – What is it? Public information and consultation booklet to encourage active involvement of all interested parties in the Water Framework Directive Article 14 – interim overview of the significant water management issues in the river basin, made available for public and users comment, 2 years before the beginning of the river basin management plan A “local” document

SWMI - What is it? SWMI = Significant Water Management Issues  Significant Water Issues  Management Issues How to identify priorities and focus efforts for the first river basin management plan? Local and national issues

SWMI Group Discussion Water Issues What issues are the most significant? What do you see as the main causes of these problems? Management Issues What are the management gaps? Is there ownership of local problems? What activities might help to deliver improvements? Other Input from Stakeholders Identify good practice examples in the RBD?

Management Group Workshop Dec 06 Advisory Council Workshop Dec 06 SWMI Group Discussion

SWMI Discussion Water Issue RaisedRBMGRBDAC Planning and land use changeYY Agriculture & changes (eg biofuels)YY Point discharges – WWTP, WTP, industries, landfills, mines & quarriesYY Combined system overflowsYY DumpingNY Rural housing/septic tanksYY Climate change (flooding & droughts)YY Dredging of channels/culverts.weirs/boat movementsYY Alien species/biodiversityYY Abstractions – protection of sources/water shortagesYY Domestic behaviour – consumption & product usageYY Road & urban drainage & loss of flood plainsNY Protected AreasYN ForestryYN

SWMI Discussion Management Issues Joined up development control – plan & upgrade before development Lack of resources Political will Economics – charging Lack of ownership of the problems Education & awareness campaigns Enforcement – use of power, personnel continuity Availability of emergency numbers Support for NGO initiatives

SWMI Discussion Other Input from Stakeholders Nitrates Regs GWPS Riparian zones - protection (Barrow floodplains) Water harvesting & alternative treatments Inland waterways (Barrow Valley) – schools competition Harvesting rainwater for non-consumption uses – Kilkenny pilot Several litter picking initiatives Quarry silt ponds (not increased) Fair trade advertising SUDS schemes on new developments Constructed wetlands

SWMI Discussion SWMI presentation's to Local Authorities WexfordSPC14th Feb CarlowSPC26th Feb LaoisSPC5th Mar North TippSPC3rd May South TippSPC16th May North TippCoCo21st May Kilkenny/Waterford City SPC is yet to be scheduled.

Significant Water Issues

Point Sources Municipal and industrial discharges Other point sources - quarries, mines landfills, dumps and contaminated lands Diffuse Sources Agriculture Wastewater from unsewered properties Forestry Urban areas - combined sewer overflows and transport networks Usage and discharge of dangerous substances Physical Changes Including dredging of channels, physical barriers (culverts and weirs), boat movements and floodplain demand AbstractionsProtection of sources and water shortages Local issuesAlien species/biodiversity Protection of sensitive areas

Significant Water Issues Background information The way that the issue can cause water problems The existing controls and their adequacy The proposed actions and the parties responsible and those affected Opinions sought about the proposals to address each issue

Significant Water Issues Timescale Template agreed by December 2006 Draft booklet for POMCG review by Easter 2007 Draft SERBD booklet text late April POMS progress summary late May Publication 22 June 2007