1. Directive 2006/118/EC Short overview
Philippe
Quevauviller

2. Issues tackled jointly by the WFD and the new Groundwater Directive
(recalled in recitals)
Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (urban, agriculture, industrial): Art. 5 WFD (“bodies at risk”)
Quality standards /
Thresholds linked
to chemical status
Interactions with aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. Links with SW status and EQS
Prevent / Limit
measures
Run-off
Drinking water
Abstraction
Art. 7 WFD
Groundwater= natural resource to be protected against pollution and deterioration,
in particular for dependent ecosystems and for use in water supply (links with Article 7
of WFD about Drinking Water Protected Areas)

3. Selected considerations (recitals highlighting features which are not subject to an operational article)
High naturally occurring levels of chemical substances due to hydrogeological conditions are not considered to be pollution (i.e. human inputs)
Reminder that artificial recharge permitted provided that WFD objectives are not compromised
Request for reliable and comparable monitoring methods and coordination to set GW threshold values
Recommendation for research to be conducted for better criteria for GW ecosystem protection

4. Good chemical status criteria (Article 3 & Annexes I and II)
Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (urban, agriculture, industrial)
EU-wide Quality standards:
Nitrates & pesticides (more stringent
Threshold Values may be required)
TV establishment at most appropriate level (local, regional, national), with account of impacts on aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, human toxicology and ecotoxicology knowledge:
Ref. to common methodology
(ANNEX II)
Run-off
Drinking water
abstraction
Threshold values
for “risk” substances
set by MS (end 2008) – Transboundary coordination required – Possible amendment at RBMP review
=WFD environmental objective
(besides quantitative status covered by WFD)

5. Assessment of good chemical status
(Article 4 & Annex III)
Good chemical assessment for (groups of) GW bodies achieved when:
No values exceeding GW standards/TVs at any monitoring point; or
Exceeding value detected at one or more point(s) but demonstration that there are no environmental risks (account of extent of affected area) for the overall body, drinking water requirements (Art. 7(3) WFD) are met, and support to human uses not impaired by pollution
Requirement for monitoring representativeness, reporting / explanation of exceeding values (e.g. using conceptual modelling, estimates of transferred pollutant loads, risks to given receptors etc. – ANNEX III) and protection measures undertaken at the point(s) concerned

6. X – Threshold value: 25 µg/l (account of NBL + interactions)
– DW safeguard zone (DW standard of 10 µg/l): minimum treatment should apply= compliance to Art. 7(3) of WFD
AQUATIC
ECOSYSTEM
GROUNDWATER BODY= DWPA
DW Safeguard zone X X
TERRESTRIAL
ECOSYSTEM X X X X X X X X X X X X X
Other protected areas X
THE MOST STRINGENT PROTECTION REGIME SHOULD PREVAIL

7. Trend identification and reversal
(Article 5 & Annex IV)
Summary to be reported
in RBMP (way trends have
been identified, reasons
for starting point for
trend reversal
Specific trend
Assessment for
Point source
pollution
Drinking water
abstraction
Starting point for trend reversal as % of GW standard (75% as a rule) or TV (depending on trend and associated risk) based on programmes of measures TV %
NBL
Baseline ( )
Identification of statistically and environmentally significant upward trends in
Groundwater bodies at risk- Reversal of trends presenting a risk for associated
Ecosystems, human health or legitimate uses through the WFD Programme of Measures

8. Prevent or Limit Measures
(Article 6)
Risks of pollution from diffuse/point sources (urban, agriculture, industrial)
Limitation of inputs of non-
hazardous pollutants, linked
to chemical status objectives
Prevention of inputs
of hazardous
substances
Run-off
Drinking water
abstraction
Investigation /authorisation regime in place, similarly to parent legislation.
Assessment to identify which pollutants are to be considered hazardous,
in particular metals and their compounds. Exemptions linked to permits.

9. Other features (Articles 7 and 8)
Technical adaptations of Annexes II.A and C, III and IV according to scientific progress and Annex II.B (adding new pollutants in the list) through comitology with scrutiny
Review of Annexes I and II in 2012 and thereafter every 6 years – if appropriate, legislative proposals taking account of monitoring data and research outputs
Evaluation of functioning of the directive in relation with other relevant legislation, including consistency