Water Framework Directive
"water is not a commercial product, but..a heritage which must be protected, defended."
The European Union Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC).
What is the Water Framework Directive?
The Water Framework Directive (2000) (.PDF 868 KB) is a major piece of European Water Legislation. It forms the basis for many of the changes that will take place in the management of our water environment.
It provides a framework for the protection, improvement and sustainable use of all water bodies in the environment across Europe, from source to sea. These water bodies include all rivers, canals, lakes, estuaries, wetlands, coastal waters and groundwater.
The main aims of the Directive are to protect and improve the water environment. This includes preventing the deterioration of aquatic ecosystems and, where possible, restoring ground and surface waters damaged by pollution, water abstraction, dams and engineering activities to ‘good status’ by 2015.
What are the benefits of the Water Framework Directive?
There are many benefits to be gained by implementing the Water Framework Directive. For example:
- Improvement and protection of the water environment leading to cleaner and healthier rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal waters
- Improvement and protection of aquatic wildlife
- More efficient and sustainable use of water
- Greater involvement by interested parties in preparing River Basin Management Plans and other programmes
- Improved information on the water environment and how it is managed
- A balanced and cost-effective approach to water protection and improvement that will not penalize major water users
How is it being implemented?
The Directive became law in Northern Ireland at the end of 2003 through The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003. The Regulations:
- Describe the water environment and set out the responsibilities of public authorities;
- Allow for the establishment of river basin districts and the preparation of River Basin Management Plans for each river basin. (These Districts will be classed as “River Basin Districts”, where the entire area lies within a country’s borders, and “International River Basin Districts”, where more than one country is involved.)
- Allow for new controls over activities which directly affect the water environment, for example, abstraction, engineering activities, pollution incidents
What is the new approach to the management of the water environment?
The Directive deals with both water protection and how water is managed or used. It aims to establish a coordinated approach to management across Europe, based on natural river basins.
The River Basin Management Planning system will provide a framework within which targets, actions, priorities, costs and benefits of environmental change will all be taken into account. This will allow environmental needs to be balanced with social and economic needs.
Northern Ireland has one river basin district (North Eastern) and three international river basin districts (Shannon, North Western and Neagh Bann) as defined in the WFD Article 3 IRBD map (.PDF 848 KB)
Each district will have its own River Basin Management Plan, which will include:
- Identification of responsible authorities
- Characterisation of river basin districts and international river basin districts
- Reporting on achievement of targets and objectives
A Register of Protected Areas
A Programme of Measures
Does the Water Framework only affect water management?
The quality of any water body will be determined not just by what happens within it but also by what happens on the land around it. For example, diffuse pollution, which results from the way in which land, is managed, falls within the Water Framework Directive.
When will it all happen?
River Basin Management Planning is an ongoing process with plans being reviewed and improvements made every six years. The timetable for the delivery of the Water Framework Directive is listed below. (Actions required by the Directive are shown in bold).
| Target Date | Deliverable |
|---|---|
| 2003 | WFD incorporated into Member State Law. Identify River Basin Districts, International River Basin Districts and Competent Authorities. |
| 2004 | Complete initial characterisation of River Basin Districts and International River Basin Districts. Establish registers of Protected Areas in each River Basin District. Complete first economic analysis of water use. |
| 2005 | Establish criteria for assessment of good groundwater chemical status and criteria for identifying significant and sustained changes. |
| 2006 | Monitoring programmes operational. |
| 2007 | Publish and consult on River Basin District issues and objectives. |
| 2008 | Produce Programme of Measures, consultation on draft River Basin Management Plans. |
| 2009 - 2012 | Plan and Programme of Measures enacted. |
| 2015 | Achieve Environmental Objectives set out in first River Basin Management Plans. |
Once produced, the Plans will be reviewed and updated every six years with public participation throughout.
Public participation and transparency
For the Water Framework Directive to be successful so that “Good Status” and a better water environment are achieved by 2015, it is important that everyone becomes involved. Everyone uses water and everyone directly or indirectly affects water quality. Therefore responsibility for achieving success lies with all.
The Northern Ireland Environment Agency is working to provide opportunities for participation in the implementation process (for example, public events, reviews and working groups), especially in the areas of River Basin Management Planning and the associated Programme of Measures. Information and invitations to participate will be made available on the Public Participation web pages.