Highlighted as the most substantial piece of water legislation ever produced by the European Commission, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) provides the mechanism to drive and achieve sustainable management of water across Europe.
Background and aims
The Water Framework Directive came into force on 22 December 2000.
The Directive requires all inland and coastal waters to reach ‘good chemical and ecological status’ for surface waters and ‘good status’ for groundwater in terms of quality and quantity by 2015.
The Directive is designed to integrate the way we manage water bodies across Europe. Each Member State will have to make plans to protect and improve rivers, lakes and coastal waters, to prevent flooding and manage droughts.
Fundamentally, the Water Framework Directive is a set of guidelines for managing large bodies of water, improving water quality and reducing potential hazards such as flooding.
Environmental objectives
The Directive will achieve this by establishing a river basin district (RBD) structure (river basin districts are mapped areas affected by a water body) within which demanding environmental objectives will be set, including ecological targets for surface waters. However, in each RBD a number of “special protection areas” may be designated. These will have tighter standards to achieve specific use-related targets.
Click on map to view full version showing River Basin Districts.
The Directive also aims to achieve elimination of hazardous substances by 2020. The list of substances has been agreed and a programme of measures to reduce or eliminate the discharge of substances has been developed (this is covered by the Groundwater Directive, a daughter directive of the WFD).
The WFD sets out a timetable for both initial transposition into laws of Member States and thereafter for the implementation of requirements.
Common Implementation Strategy
For the first time a Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) has been set up for Europe, in order to help Member States to implement the Directive. Working groups and technical groups provide guidance on key activities such as information sharing, technical issues, data management and application, testing and validation.
The scale and complexity of implementing the WFD means that it is critical to maintain discussion and seek solutions with all involved. The agencies involved in the implementation process recognise the need for close working relationships to be developed with all relevant stakeholders. There remains a need to maintain a common strategic approach and work together throughout the Member States.
