Significant Water Management Issues (SWMI) Report

South Eastern RBDAC

Dec 2006

SWMI – What is it?• Public information and consultation report to

encourage active involvement of all interested parties in the Water Framework Directive

• Article 14 – interim overview of the significant water management issues in the river basin, made available for public and users comment, 2 years before the beginning of the river basin management plan

• A “local” document

SWMI - What is it?• SWMI = Significant Water Management Issues

Significant Water Issues

Management Issues

• How to identify priorities and focus efforts for the first river basin management plan?

Significant Water Issues• Significant water issues:

– Article 5 analysis – OSPAR nutrient quantification– National reports – Historical catchment plans & water quality reports – P Reg plans etc– Compendium of responses/stakeholder responses– Expert review– RBD groups (3 issues & good practice examples?)

Significant Water IssuesPOMS – National Issues

Schedule of Approved Studies & Lead RBDs

Leading RBD Measures & Standards Study Name

WRBD 1. On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems

2. Forest and Water

ShRBD 3. Freshwater Morphology

SERBD 4. Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards

SWRBD 5. Industrial & Municipal Regulation

6. Dangerous Substances

7. Marine Morphology

8. Heavily Modified Water Bodies & Artificial Water Bodies

9. Water Balance Model for Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards

ERBD 10. Abstraction Pressures

11. Groundwater Risk from Diffuse Mobile Organics

12. Urban Pressures in rivers, transitional and ground waters

13. Further Economic Characterisation

Management Issues• Management issues:

– What management tools are already in place?– Where are the management gaps? – What are the solutions?

SWMI TemplateLength between 30 and 40 pages

How many issues 9 or 10

LanguagePlain English (non technical)Use of question and answer format to aid input

Style Well illustrated

Hardcopy vs electronicHard copy - alternative formats & translations

SWMI TemplateOwnership of the ReportRoI RBD lead authorities - POMS CG - NTCGConsultation link to RBDAC

RBD report vs National reportRBD report gives local ownership & leads to draft plan• 8 RBD reports – full harmonisation

However as the main RoI POMS studies are national:• Much of the content is generic • Each project will input to every SWMI

Requires close co-ordination

SWMI TemplateChapter Headings

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Assessment of Pressures and Impacts

3.0 Significant Water Management Issues

4.0 Measures

5.0 Next Steps and Conclusions

Timescale

• publish 22 June 2007

SWMI Template1.0 Introduction

Introduction to the WFD• What is the WFD?• What are its objectives?• What is status?• When must the objectives be achieved?• Who is responsible for implementing the WFD?• How is this being done?• What has NI/Ireland done so far?• What is NI/Ireland doing now? (further characterisation/surveys)• What will NI/Ireland do next?• How is NI/Ireland co-operating with neighbouring Member States?Introduction to the River Basin District• The (SE/Shannon/SW/We/Ea/Neagh Bann/NWNE) RBDs vital statistics• RBD Protected areas• Why a SWMI report?• How can the public get involved and make a difference?

SWMI Template2.0 Assessment of Pressures and Impacts

• What pressures and impacts have been assessed• Abstractions• Physical changes (morphology)• Point• Diffuse• Others

• How have significant issues been identified? • What are NI/Ireland’s most significant issues? (analysis by RBD)

• Groundwaters/Rivers & lakes/Transitional & coastal waters • Does the RBD have any special significant issues? (analysis by RB or

hydrometric area with RBDAC input)

SWMI Template3.0 Significant Water Management Issues

(what is the issue, what new data, what new results, any future trends)

Ireland (POMS)

Abstractions

MorphologyFreshwater Morphology

Marine Morphology

Point SourcesIndustrial & Municipal Discharges (Dang Subs)

CSOs?

Quarries, mines landfills & contaminated land

Diffuse SourcesAgriculture (Diffuse Mobile Organics)

On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems

Forest and Water

Urban Areas

RBD issues (eg peatlands)

Other issues

Northern Ireland (FCA)

Abstractions and Flow Regulations

MorphologyFreshwater activities

Marine activities

Point source discharges (Dang Subs)SIMCAT

Diffuse losses (screening tool)Agriculture

Septic tanks

Forestry

Urban areas

Transport networks?

RBD issues (how to identify?)

Other issues

SWMI Template4.0 Measures

• What are measures?• What existing NI/Irish measures support the WFD? • How can new NI/Irish measures be put in place? • SWMI – what measures are needed and who will be involved?

(for each SWMI describe existing measures, gaps requiring future measures

(national or local) and identify responsible parties and sectors) • Summary RBD programme of measures and responsible parties

SWMI Template5.0 Next Steps and Conclusions

• Setting WFD Objectives• What are the WFD objectives?• What are alternative objectives?

– Extended deadlines– Temporary deterioration in status– New modifications and new sustainable development activities– Designation as Heavily Modified & Artificial Water Bodies– Less stringent objectives

• The Role of Further Economic Characterisation – (scenarios?)• When will alternative objectives apply? (indicative list of sites?)

• Future characterisation work• RIA• SEA• Conclusions

• Summary• Gap and live issues• The draft First River Basin Management Plan• Future planning cycles• Consultations

SWMI Group DiscussionThree discussion groups (1, 2, 3, 4 & 5) Kilkenny CoCo rep to record agreed issues for feedback session Water IssuesWhat issues are the most significant?What do you see as the main causes of these problems?

Management IssuesWhat are the management gaps?Is there ownership of local problems?What activities might help to deliver improvements?

Other Input from StakeholdersIdentify good practice examples in the SERBD?

SWMI RBDAC DiscussionWater Issues• Planning and landuse change • Agriculture & changes (eg biofuels)• Point discharges – WWTP, WTP, industries, landfills,

mines & quarries• Dumping• Rural housing/septic tanks• Climate change (flooding & droughts)• Weirs & boats movements• Alien species/biodiversity• Abstractions – protection of sources/water shortages• Domestic behaviour – consumption & product usage• Road & urban drainage & loss of flood plains

SWMI RBDAC DiscussionManagement Issues• Joined up development control – plan & upgrade

before development• Lack of resources • Economics – charging• Lack of ownership of the problems• Education & awareness campaigns• Enforcement – use of power• Support for NGO initiatives • Nitrates Regs• Riparian zone protection• Water harvesting & alternative treatments

SWMI RBDAC DiscussionOther Input from Stakeholders• Several litter picking initiatives• Barrow floodplains• Quarry silt ponds (not increased)• Fair trade advertising• SUDS schemes on new developments• Constructed wetlands