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So what does the water industry really think of the WFD?

A water company’s view of the process, palaver and potential delivery of the WFD up to 2015

Ruth Barden – Environmental Scientist, Wessex Water

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Where to start…?

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Where the water companies fit in

Public (the money)

NationalGovt

NE

Public (the polluters)

Agriculture Industry

Environmental NGOs

Local Govt

Public (the beneficiaries)

EA

Water companies

WFD

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How the water companies fit in

European level: representation through Eureau

National level: represented on the Defra Stakeholder Group inc. Water UK, EA, NE, NFU, RSPB, industry etc

Regional level: River Basin Liaison Panels. 1 water industry rep on each panel (except 2 in SW). Panel = 16 members

Local level: much more informal. Intention to use existing local groups & networks

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Initial Fears

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So what is the role for water companies?

Landowners

Data gatherers

Educators

Environmental service

providers

Publichealth

administrators

Carbon producers

WFD Aims:

1) Prevent deterioration

2) Protection of water sources

3) Protection from haz substances

4) Reduce GW pollution

5) Tackle effects of floods & droughts

6) Achieve good status

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So how will water companies help to deliver the WFD in RBMP1?

• Very few schemes with explicit WFD driver

• WFD elements will be delivered through other regulatory requirements e.g. UWWTD, Bathing Waters etc

• Local drivers – typically investigations

• Unclear on water supply protected areas- will we feed into this?

• Water company wide investigations on priority substances

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The Future

• Need to manage expectations from RBMP1- will not achieve wholesale good ecological status of all waterbodies.

• Uncertainty over what might be included in future RBMPs & AMP rounds. Sustainability?

• Derogations

• Everything to be achieved by 2027- regardless of cost in final round?