1. Policy review of the WS&D Policy
SCG 7 November 2012

2. METHODOLOGY
Ex-post assessment of the 2007 Communication on water scarcity & droughts
Assessment of the extent to which water scarcity & drought issues have been integrated in the RBMPs

3. 1) PUTTING THE RIGHT PRICE TAG ON WATER
Limited implementation of cost-recovery and incentive pricing
recovery of financial costs for water services is not yet the norm in all MS
environmental or resource costs are often not considered
The definition of water services is often not in line with the Commissions interpretation
not sufficient funds to reduce leakages or to achieve environmental objectives

4. 1) PUTTING THE RIGHT PRICE TAG ON WATER
An important share of water abstractions for agriculture in the EU is not priced, even in water stressed areas
In agriculture operational costs are only partly recovered for 10 Member States
Capital costs are often subsidized
No financial mechanism for
recovering environmental & resource costs of abstractions
giving incentives to using water more efficiently

5. 2) Allocating water & water-related funding efficiently
Authorization procedures for water abstraction or use are generally in place
illegal abstractions remain an important challenge
Restricting water use in times of WS&D included in many MS water allocation policies
Environmental flow schemes are increasingly used as an element of water allocation
Cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit analysis has seldom been used to prioritize investments under the RBMP process

6. 3) Improving drought risk management
Drought Management Plans are being developed but implementation and integration with RBMPs remains limited.
Water Efficiency measures in the RBMPs can contribute to reducing vulnerability to drought; even if mainly focussing on addressing WS
A prototype of the European Drought Observatory (EDO) has been developed
EU wide drought indicators are now available
Limited progress has been made with the use of EU Solidarity Funds in the area of droughts.

7. 4) Considering additional water supply infrastructures
The water hierarchy not always respected.
Environmental impacts of new water supply infrastructure not systematically considered
30% of the screened RBMPs foresee reservoirs and other water infrastructure to increase water availability
25% of RBMPs include the development or upgrade of water transfer schemes
Wastewater re-use is included in 50% of RBMPs
Artificial aquifer recharge and rainwater harvesting in 30% of RBMPs
The development or upgrade of desalinization plants is only presented in a few RBMPs. Adverse environmental effects of desalination are not always sufficiently considered.

8. 5) Fostering water efficient technologies and practices
Substantial water efficiency gains have been achieved in irrigated agriculture, but improving irrigation schedules and modernizing technologies can still provide significant water savings
Water saving at the field level is not always effectively translated into overall water saving
Efficiency margins are still significant in buildings, e.g. in relation to eco-design of taps and shower heads.
In the EU there is a large diversity of the efficiency of drinking water supply systems but there is a need to consider their optimal efficiency level

9. 6) Fostering a water saving culture
A broad spectrum of awareness raising activities to foster water saving are being implemented
Other tools such as incentive pricing, financing mechanisms for water saving, eco-design for water using appliances etc. are not always sufficiently present
The European Water Stewardship (EWS) scheme includes criteria for certification which are closely linked with the main WFD requirements and can therefore be a useful tool to optimise water management at RB level

10. 7)Improving the knowledge base
EU wide coverage and long-time series of water quantity data are not yet available
Streamlined data on state and pressures, impacts and effectiveness of responses to address WS&D still needed
Progress towards the application of common WS&D indicators
Water scarcity and water use efficiency research is scattered within the 6th and 7th Framework Programmes and stronger efforts are required to develop synergies with Member States research activities

11. INTEGRATION OF WS&D MEASURES IN THE RBMPs
WS&D are recognized as relevant issues by RBMPs across the EU
The analysis of water quantity aspects lacks adequate foundation in many RBMPs
Quantity data are insufficient and water scarcity and droughts are often not clearly distinguished
Water demand scenarios are presented for only 35% and water availability scenarios for less than 25% of the RBMPs

12. CONCLUSION
Progress has taken place in implementing the 7 policy instruments identified in the Commissions Communication from 2007
The overall objective - to revert the WS&D trends - has not been achieved
The WS&D policy has too self-standing and a stronger focus on quantity issues in the implementation of the WFD is critical

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