(‘Itself’, as a resource)

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BRIDGE ^-

KEY ISSUES REGARDING

GROUNDWATER

(‘Itself’, as a resource)

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Content

•

Groundwater as a receptor – possible approaches

•

Status assessment vs. Prevent or Limit

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Groundwater as a Receptor

Groundwater should be protected against deterioration in its own rights (see

Recitals of the GWDD)

No agreed common understanding of the WFD and the GWDD and the role of threshold values Possible approaches:

⌦ Groundwater as a resource (see BRIDGE DoW)

⌦ Groundwater ‘itself’ (see BRIDGE D15)

⌦ Groundwater as an ecosystem

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Groundwater as a resource (1)

Groundwater is one of the most important freshwater resources

According elements:

⌦ Widespread (diffuse) pollution: nitrate and pesticides (WFD)

⌦ pollution which might significantly impair the ability of the GW-body to support human uses (GWDD, Art 4)

⌦ Saline intrusion (WFD) - specific considerations

TV: NBL for relevant parameter (e.g. EC, Cl, SO₄)

defined areas and sampling depths according to flow characteristics

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Groundwater as a resource (2)

• pollution which might significantly impair the ability of the GW-body to support human uses

GW-bodies at risk from specific substances &

monitoring establishes evidence of widespread impacts on the GW-body

Threshold value

• DWS or other use related Standard Comparison to monitoring data

• Average at single monitoring stations

• Aggregated & weighted across the GW-body

‘aquifer-storage based’ (‘system control’ on average concentration or total mass)

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Groundwater

‘itself’ (1)

Groundwater to be protected against

deterioration (pollutant inputs) in its own right Status and/or Prevent/Limit?

Possible Criteria

•

TV = NBL

adaptation for pragmatic applicability at low concentrations needed

Comparison to monitoring data

• Average at single monitoring stations

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Groundwater

‘itself’ (2)

NBL < REF

applicability adaptation at low concentrations Relation NBL to REF: TV = (REF + NBL)/2

Allows also TV for synthetic substances REF: EQS or DWS

Dropped: TV = 2 NBL

• case study results

• see GWDD recitals:

No ‘high class’ GW

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Groundwater as an ecosystem (1)

• Hardly any data for ecotoxicity tests with groundwater organisms

• First approximation with aquatic organisms recognised as appropriate (NL & DE)

Use of ecotox-data on chronic effects (e.g. AA- EQS of COM(2006)397)

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Groundwater as an ecosystem (2)

Proposal EQS

⌦ AA-EQS (annual average)

MAC-EQS (max. allowable concentration)

⌦ Flexibility to be left to Member States (see EQS- Proposal ANNEX I, PART C)

⌦ NBL > EQS or

⌦ hardness, pH or other water quality parameters affect bioavailability of metals, MS may take this into account when assessing monitoring results

National EQS for additional pollutants

[PNEC (Predicted No Effect Concentration)]

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WFD & GWDD Water Management

•

Status assessment

• large scale issues and compliance across GW-bodies

• Threshold Values may be GW-body specific

• only for GW-bodies characterised as being at risk (!)

• possible impacts by pollutants according to risk characterisation (!)

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WFD & GWDD Groundwater protection

•

Status assessment

• large scale issues and compliance across GW-bodies

• Threshold Values may be GW-body specific

•

Prevent or Limit

• protecting quality at local scale (!)

• defined compliance points (or planes)

• listed “Regulatory Values” not GW-body specific but generic!

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STATUS ASSESSMENT &

PROTECTION OF QUALITY

Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (incl. landfills, wastes, contaminated soils, agriculture)

Quality Assessment Status Assessment

Generic Values

Drinking water abstraction

Construction Products,

Run-off

• • • • • •

Threshold Values:

GW-body specific

Time

Urban wastes

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15.12.2006| Folie 14 Tier 2 Is [pollutant] > QS?

Check for trends

Check for trends

MONITORED DATA

Is [pollutant] > NBL?

Tier 1

Yes Set threshold= QS (or

NBL if exceeding QS)

Set threshold= QS/DF Status = GOOD

Status = GOOD

No

No

Is [pollutant] > (QS/DF)*AF?

Set threshold= (QS/DF)*AF Is [pollutant] > (QS/DF)?

Tier 3

Tier 4

Status = GOOD

Check for trends Yes

No

Status = POOR

Yes

Does appropriate Investigation show that conditions for good chemical

status are not met?

Derive NBL (according to Annex I)

Derive TV (according to

Annex II) Tier 2a

Is [pollutant] > TV?

OR No

Set threshold= NBL ^{Check for}

trends

Status = GOOD

Establishing TVs Flow Chart

Rules

1. Use the appropriate quality standard, QS.

If ecological risk use EQS.

If human health risk use DWS.

2. If dilution factor, DF, not known assume = 1.0 3. If attenuation factor, AF, not known assume =

1.0

4. In check for Trends use ALL triggers-consider need for trend reversal if crossing each trigger

Define Objectives and Measures Yes

No

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Groundwater as a Receptor

Common understanding of the legal system established by the WFD and the GWDD needs to be established

Drafting group ‘status and compliance’

under WG C

Possible approaches discussed by BRIDGE to be revised and adapted

Systematic linkage of status objective to prevent or limit possible

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Thank you !

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Environmental thresholds Objectives

European approach to derive environmental thresholds for groundwater bodies

applicable at different levels (national, river basin or single groundwater bodies) reflecting multitude of possible pressures and variety of aquifer characteristics

consistent to the WFD and other community legislation

scientifically sound and practicable