Environment Agency seeks views on water pollution, nature and invasives

The consultation is part of the river basin management plan process, which is a requirement of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). The current river basin management plans were published in February 2016 and must be updated every six years. 

Published this morning, the consultation looks at “the challenges that limit the benefits society obtains from the water environment” and the “best way to address these issues”, focusing on the following areas: 

• Climate and biodiversity crisis
• Changes to water levels and flows 
• Chemicals in the water environment
• Invasive non-native species
• Physical modifications 
• Plastics pollution
• Pollution from abandoned mines
• Pollution from agriculture and rural areas
• Pollution from towns, cities and transport
• Pollution from water industry wastewater
• Catchment partnership working

The EA says the country “now take[s] more from our rivers and groundwater than we or rainfall put back” and that across England “we over-abstract from around 20% of rivers and 26% of groundwater bodies”, damaging rivers, springs, aquifers, lakes and wetlands.

EU Directive 2000/60/EC: Establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy [Water Framework Directive]

Document Status: In force/Current

Scope: EU

Key Dates SHOW

Commentary:

31/10/2014 Amending EU Directive (2014/101/EU) published.

Compliance:

22/12/2015 All ground and surface waters to reach good status by 22/12/2015, 22/12/2020 The cessation or phasing out of discharges, emissions or losses of priority hazardous substances, 22/12/2003 Transposition deadline is 22/12/2003, 22/12/2009 Water Basin Management Plans must be prepared for each river basin district

Legal Status SHOW

Legal Status This EU Directive is the foundation of EU legislation in the field of water. It provides for the protection of sub-surface, surface, coastal, and territorial waters through a framework of river basin management. Its objectives include preventing and reducing pollution, promoting sustainable water usage, environmental protection, improving aquatic ecosystems and mitigating the effects of floods and droughts, with an ultimate objective of achieving ‘good ecological and chemical status’ for all European Community waters by 2015. This EU Directive comes into force on 22 December 2000, and EU Member States must transpose the provisions by 22 December 2003 (see Article 24). It has been subsequently amended (see Legal Outline).

Legal Outline

This EU Directive revokes and replaces a number of EU instruments (see Article 22), including:

• EU Directives
• 75/440/EEC,
• 79/869/EEC,
• 80/68/EEC; and
• EU Decision 77/795/EEC.

It has been subsequently amended by

• EU Decision 2455/2001/EC; and
• EU Directives
• 2008/32/EC,
• 2008/105/EC,
• 2009/31/EC, to allow for the injection of carbon dioxide (CO2) into saline aquifers for the purposes of geological storage, subject to provisions on groundwater protection, and
• 2014/101/EU, to update the international standards listed in Annex V.

For a complete overview:

View ENDS Summary

It notes that 10% of freshwater and wetland species are threatened with extinction and two-thirds are in decline, and that “70% of surface waters in England are in danger of deteriorating as a result of invasive species”. 

Chemical pressures on water bodies include cypermethrin, perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and related substances, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and mercury, it says. 

The consultation closes on 24 April. The agency says it will publish and consult on draft new river basin plans in 2020. 

The consultation can be viewed here.