1. Background CRiteria for the IDentification of Groundwater ThrEsholds
Dietmar MÜLLER Federal Environment Agency Austria

2. FAQ/BOQ (Big open questions)
Outline of the Presentation
What has been done ?
Where are we now ?
What comes next ?
FAQ/BOQ (Big open questions)

3. Approach and key issues

4. Timeline - Meetings MAJOR EVENTS
January 10th: Scientific Council (Paris)
January 11th/12th: Kick-off-Meeting (Paris)
February, 21st/22nd: WP5-KoM (Strasbourg)
February, 28th: WP1-2-3-Meeting (Paris)
March, 3rd/4th: WP3-Workshop (Vienna)
April, 12th: Scientific Council (Brussels)

5. WP 1 Groundwater pollutants
Questionnaire
to collect references of reports, research articles and other documents concerning potentially harmful natural and anthropogenic substances in groundwater, their (eco)toxicological effects
to collect representative groundwater datasets from all kinds of aquifers across Europe.
Which substances?
WFD pollutants
33 priority substances
Other identified pollutants (‘forgotten substances’)

6. WP 1 Groundwater pollutants
Major Outcomes
Report (December05 -> September 05)
Reference Database
Idea: Tables to describe main characteristics / properties of pollutants (e.g. origin, density, solubility, volatility, ecotox-data, …)

7. WP 2 Groundwater characteristics
Detailed Work Plan Report
Background paper (as a general concept)
Questionnaire
Major Outcomes
Report (March06 -> preliminary synthesis: September 05)

8. Selection of representative GW-bodies
WP 4 Case studies
Selection of representative GW-bodies
Identification of selection criteria
Request for proposals and basic data
Nominated 28 GW-bodies
5 GW-bodies in Pilot River Basins
3 GW-bodies are common to WP5
Availability of monitoring data?
Substances ?
Time series ?

9. 2 further case studies (Portugal/Latvia)
WP 5: Socio-economic impact assessment
Preperatory Work:
D24 ‘General methodological framework’
3 case studies identified
Upper Rhine (France & Germany): heavy metals, CHC’s, Chloride (potash mining)
Scheldt river basin (Netherlands): nitrate, metals
Finland: Chloride from road salting (sub-bodies all across Finland)
2 further case studies (Portugal/Latvia)

10. March, 3rd/4th: WP3-Workshop (Vienna) 2 discussion papers:
WP3 - Methodology
March, 3rd/4th: WP3-Workshop (Vienna)
2 discussion papers:
‘aquatic ecosystems’
‘groundwater’
‘Proposal for the methodology framework’ (D12 – April 14th)
Under preparation: amended discussion papers

11. Integrated characterisation process characterisation of pollutants
Framework for a Methodology
Integrated characterisation process
characterisation of pollutants
characterisation of groundwater bodies
characterisation of receptors

12. SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO RECEPTORS
Underlying Concepts
CONCEPTUAL MODEL
pressures, processes, pathways and receptors
SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS TO RECEPTORS
orientation to a receptor-based-approach
NEW: TIERED APPROACH !
Compliance Regime !

13. Groundwater quality General relationships

14. INITIAL ANALYSIS (Tier 1)
NEW: TIERED APPROACH !
INITIAL ANALYSIS (Tier 1)
conservative & simple criteria (e.g. apply surface water EQS)
DETAILED ANALYSIS (Tier 2)
thorough evaluation of specific groundwater body characteristics (e.g. back calculation considering into account the contribution of groundwater and attenuating capabilities)

15. TIERED APPROACH ! Data requirements work, costs Conservatism
Stage ?
Initial
Analysis
Detailed
Analysis
[Impact Assessment]
Data requirements
work, costs
Conservatism
Uncertainty
Protection of
Environmental resources

16. TIERED APPROACH STATUS CLASSIFICATION

17. take account of the measurement strategy
Underlying Concepts
Any Environmental Standard must
take account of the measurement strategy
be associated with a COMPLIANCE REGIME !
FREQUENTLY DEBATED ALONG THE GWD-NEGOTIATION-PROCESS !!!

18. Clear defined as a minimum:
COMPLIANCE REGIME
numeric values may have widely different impacts and implications, dependent on the compliance regime selected
Clear defined as a minimum:
a summary statistic (e.g. mean, max., 95 percentile ..)
time period for the assessment
‘area related’ (depending on the receptor as a point or as a spatial aggregation)

19. OUTLINE PROCEDURE

20. Characterisation of Pollutants
... substances of anthropogenic origin, which cause pollution (WFD & GWD : Main Pollutants, Priority Substances ...)
KEY ASPECTS
Groups of substances
Propagation tendency
Toxicity profile

21. Characterisation of Pollutants
GROUPS OF SUBSTANCES
Group A: naturally occurring substances introduced by man, commonly found with variable natural background concentrations (e.g. major ions, ammonium, some metals)
Group B: naturally occurring substances which are normally not found at elevated concentrations (e.g. Hg, Cd, Bromate)
Group C: synthetic (man-made) substances
Group D: parameters indicative for pollution (see WFD Annex V.2.4.2)

22. Water balance, groundwater/surface water interactions
Characterisation of groundwater bodies
KEY ASPECTS
Background quality
natural background quality, together with the widespread and long term effects of man’s activities
Water balance, groundwater/surface water interactions
hydraulics are prerequisite to understand chemistry
quality assessment should be preceded by quantitative status assessment

23. Characterisation of Receptors

24. Characterisation of Receptors
associated surface waters (discussion paper out)
dependent terrestrial ecosystems
‘groundwater’ (discussion paper out)

25. Draft Environment Agency: ‘surface water’

26. Draft Environment Agency: ‘surface water’ - Tiered approach

27. Discussion paper: ‘groundwater’ Tiered approach

28. Draft Environment Agency: ‘surface water’ - Tiered approach

29. TIERED APPROACH STATUS CLASSIFICATION

30. TIERED APPROACH STATUS CLASSIFICATION

31. Some open questions
Spatial data aggregation (density & representativity of monitoring wells)
thresholds to be set for three receptors at groundwater body level – or threshold based on the most sensitive one ?
Is groundwater (itself) to be considered for all groundwater bodies ?
Is a ‘management choice’ possible ?
Synchronisation to policy development !!!

32. contribute to enhanced sustainability
...a CHALLANGE to ...
support European policy (the proposal for the GWD is still under discussion)
co-ordinate with practice and the ongoing implementation process of the WFD
communicate with scientist, regulators and stakeholders,
get sound SOLUTIONS
contribute to enhanced sustainability
be aware of the Europe of regions but also think European !

33. WP3: What is next ?
Act. 3.1: Draft report on National Methodologies (August 05)
Start up Act. 3.2: Integrated Strategies for Sampling, Measuring and Quality Assurance
Start up Act 3.3: Monitoring networks and data aggregation
Act.3.4: Review of comments on the two discussion papers in depth

34. ROADMAP - WP 3 Concept … 2005/04 further WP3-Workshop ?
Draft ‘preliminary Methodology’ 2005/10
Preliminary Methodology 2005/12
Final Proposal for a Methodology 2006/11

35. BRIDGE - Background CRiteria for the IDentification of Groundwater ThrEsholds
THANK YOU !