2. Purpose
Independent piece of legislation, closely integrated in a larger regulatory framework (complement to WFD):
prevent deterioration
protect, enhance and restore all groundwater bodies
promote sustainable groundwater use
ensure reduction of pollution through specific measures for the progressive reduction of discharges
contribute to mitigating effects of floods and droughts
Built on Articles 4, 7 and 11 of WFD (no new objectives)

3. Criteria for assessing good groundwater status
Requirements in WFD
Article 17: Strategies to prevent and control pollution of groundwater (end 2002)
Criteria for assessing good groundwater status
Criteria for identification of significant and sustained upward trends
Criteria for definition on starting points for trend reversals
Broader approach agreed by Water Directors,
leading to the Conceptual approach:
Issue Paper
Synthesis Paper

5. Definitions to be clarified (based on the CIS working group reports)
Elements of GWD proposal (1)
Definitions to be clarified (based on the CIS working group reports)
pressures and impacts, typology, classes
groundwater body, boundaries of groundwater bodies, unpolluted groundwater
good status (substances, standards), high quality status
risk-based approach, receptor-based approach, combined approach
etc.

6. Measures to prevent and limit the input of pollutants into groundwater
Elements of GWD proposal (2)
Measures to prevent and limit the input of pollutants into groundwater
identification of substances (or groups of substances) to be prevented: based on update of 80/68/EEC Directive list I, taking into account Annexes VIII, IX and X of the WFD, which should be agreed at EU level
selection of substances to be limited (also agreed at EU level) based on additional standards needed to define ‘good chemical status’ (naturally occurring and anthropogenic substances)
setting pre-defined standards for limited number of substances
deriving risk or receptor-based standards, tailor made to local situation (left to MS judgement)

7. Measures to reverse significant and sustained upward trends
Elements of GWD proposal (3)
Measures to reverse significant and sustained upward trends
purpose to prevent deterioration of groundwater which is in a ‘good chemical status’
any significant trend should be reversed independently from the level
criteria to be defined: pollutant concentration at the time of trend assessment, pollutant level that should not be attained within a given time horizon
According to provisions of Annex V of WFD: first trend assessment in 2011

8. Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Elements of GWD proposal (4)
Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
control of conductivity changes (indicative of saline or other intrusion), and of quality standards (to be defined) in accordance to Article 17 of FWD
in this context, status would correspond to status quo
should not result in:
failure to achieve objectives for associated surface waters
any significant diminution in the ecological or chemical quality of surface waters
any significant damage to terrestrial ecosystems directly depending on the groundwater body

9. Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Elements of GWD proposal (5)
Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
changes in groundwater flow patterns considered as saline or other intrusions when:
sustained expansion of volume of groundwater body
changes of chemical composition within the body, as indicated by conductivity
result in failure to achieve environmental objectives for associated surface waters, in significant diminution of the ecological or chemical quality of such bodies or lead to significant damage to dependent terrestrial ecosystems

10. Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Elements of GWD proposal (6)
Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Quality standards for defining good chemical status:
50 mg/L nitrate target in all groundwater
maximum permissible concentrations for pesticides as laid down by 98/83/EC, 91/414/EEC and 98/5/EC Directives
other quality standards to be defined at EU level, in combination with locally derived (tighter) standards, taking into account (i) background concentrations, (ii) interaction groundwater/associated surface waters, (iii) sensitivity of ecosystems to pollutant inputs from groundwater and groundwater uses

11. Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Elements of GWD proposal (7)
Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Any standard that is derived should state:
a limit (concentration) or a loading (concentration and volume)
a compliance point
a summary statistic of how often the limit may be exceeded and a time period over which the statistic applies
the statistical confidence of measurements with which non-compliance is to be demonstrated before failure is confirmed

12. Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
Elements of GWD proposal (8)
Measures to prevent deterioration in status of groundwater bodies
The classification of a body of groundwater would depend on the following criteria:
actual pollutant concentrations
effect of new inputs of pollutants to good status body of groundwater
time change of pollutant concentrations within the current River Basin Management Plan reporting cycle
Protection of pristine groundwater: introduction of high chemical status

13. Measures to protect, enhance and restore groundwater bodies
Elements of GWD proposal (9)
Measures to protect, enhance and restore groundwater bodies
no further specification required over and above the other measures noted in previous slides, with the exception of measures to protect “high chemical status” bodies of groundwater from deterioration (needs to be defined). This may be achieved by using prevent and limit measures envisaged by the WFD (no restoration target)

14. Elements of GWD proposal (10)
Protected areas
Protected Area designations that are relevant to groundwater are:
Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Nitrate Directive 91/676/EEC)
Nutrient Sensitive Areas (Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC)
Bathing Waters (Bathing Waters Directive 76/160/EEC)
Special Areas of Conservation or Protection Areas (Habitats and Birds Directives 92/43/EEC and 79/409/EEC)
Drinking Water Protected Area (designated under WFD)
a new groundwater Protected Area could be added but would require objective specifications within the GWD

15. Elements of GWD proposal (11)
Other elements
Besides Articles 4, 7 and 11, other elements issued from the WFD are directly relevant to GWD and should be adapted on the basis of the CIS Working Group reports:
administrative arrangements within river basin districts
economic analysis (Article 5)
register of protected areas (Article 6)
monitoring (Article 8)
recovery of costs for water services (Article 9)
combined approach for point and diffuse sources (Art. 10)

16. Elements of GWD proposal (12)
Other elements (ctd)
issues which cannot be dealt with at Member State level (Article 12)
river basin management plans (Article 13)
public information and consultation (Article 14)
reporting (Article 15)
strategies against pollution of water (Article 16)

17. Timetable                       Nov. 2001 April
2002
Nov.
2002
Water Directors
Ghent, Nov. 2001 
1st EAF meeting
23/11/2001 
Case studies      
2nd EAF meeting
26/03/2002 
End of Conceptual
Phase (workshop) 
Economic study       
Waters Directors
Valencia, June 2002 
3rd EAF meeting
25/06/2002 
4th EAF meeting
7/8 October 2002 
GWD proposal 
Water Directors
Copenhaguen, 21/11/02 