1. Ideas for improvements of the Joint Questionnaire on Inland Waters
Water Statistics Meeting
September 2006
Luxembourg
Michael Nagy
Katharina Lenz

2. Proposal for general improvement
Spelling inconsistencies (e.g. fresh water <> freshwater)
Definitions of parameters in the JQ should be consistent with definitions in relevant Directives (as far as possible)
Include possible use of data collected by the JQ in the notes to each chapter. Target the data filling process or define priorities

3. Definitions JQ – Table 1 Regular freshwater resources 95% of time
Redefinition: Regular annual freshwater resources 95% of the years
Recharge into the aquifer
Change term: “annual groundwater recharge”
Ecological discharge
Change term: “Minimum acceptable flow (MAF)”

4. Proposal for improvement
JQ – Table 1
Proposal for improvement
Reference period for annual values
generally the calendar year Jan-Dec, but where snow and soil water storage is significant  hydrological year! (e.g. Nov – Oct)
Mixture of „natural water balance elements“ and management variables
water management data seldom provided – omit them?
Ecological discharge (ED)
Why should ED only be maintained by aquifers (and not also surface
water reservoirs)?
Ground water available for annual abstraction (GWAAA)
Why GWAAA and not also SWAAA?

5. Definitions JQ - Table 2 and 3
Households, other activities and domestic sector
a) Households: dwelling-unit concept or housekeeping-unit concept
b) Other activities:NACE (e.g. offices, hotels, schools, universities and services), mainly sanitary purposes
a) + b) Domestic sector: water mainly used for sanitary purposes
Imports of water
avoid double-counting! water from another territory = water from abroad
Cooling water
demarcation to waste water, heat not regarded as pollution
Returned water
spring overflows

6. Recommendations JQ - Table 2 and 3 Other supply
Extend definition: Water from self supply distributed to other users
Losses during transport
Important source of error (process water used by waterworks)!!
Recommendations
Households, other activities: report aggregated figure for domestic sector, if distinction between households and other activities (SME) not possible
 Parameter “domestic sector” should be consistent in JQ-Table 2 and JQ Table 3

7. JQ - Table 2 and 3
Table 2
Table 3

8. JQ – Table 4
Definitions
Classification of waste water treatment depends on type of operator - public authority or non-puplic
Urban waste water treatment
Urban waste water treatment is all treatment of waste water in urban waste water treatment plants (UWWTP’s). UWWTP’s are usually operated by public authorities or by private companies working by order of public authorities. Includes waste water delivered to treatment plants by trucks.
Other waste water treatment (IWWP)
Treatment of waste water in any non-public treatment plant, i.e. industrial waste water treatment plants (IWWP). Excluded from "other waste water treatment" is the treatment in septic tanks.
Not considered: ww treatment plants from hospitals, army camps,…
>> Proposal: “Treatment of wastewater in any waste water treatment plant, which is not operated by, or by order of public authorities”

9. JQ – Table 4
Definitions
Classification of waste water treatment depends on type of operator - public authority or non-puplic
Independent treatment
Systems of collection, preliminary treatment, treatment, infiltration or discharge of domestic waste water from dwellings generally between 1 and 50 population equivalents, not connected to an urban waste water system. Examples of such systems are septic tanks. Excluded are systems with storage tanks from which the waste water is transported periodically by trucks to an urban waste water treatment plant. These systems are considered to be connected to the urban waste water system. (Definitions on different types of treatment are listed at the end)
Unclear, whether definition comprises collection and treatment or collection or treatment
>>Proposal: “System of collection and treatment or infiltration of domestic waste water from dwellings…”

10. Proposal for improvement
JQ – Table 4
Proposal for improvement

11. Definitions JQ – Table 5 YES
Do septic tanks count as treatment plants?
Independent treatment
Systems of collection, preliminary treatment, treatment, infiltration or discharge of domestic waste water from dwellings generally between 1 and 50 population equivalents, not connected to an urban waste water system. Examples of such systems are septic tanks. Excluded are systems with storage tanks from which the waste water is transported periodically by trucks to an urban waste water treatment plant. These systems are considered to be connected to the urban waste water system. (Definitions on different types of treatment are listed at the end)
>>Proposal: “System of collection and treatment or infiltration of domestic waste water from dwellings…”
BOD
Consequent use of BOD5(ATU) and definition (UWWTD: 1P.E. = 60 g BOD5/day, ATU-modified)

12. Recommendations JQ – Table 5 Independent treatment
Recommendation: identify % of population connected to independent treatment and and effluent pollutant load
Number of septic tanks (2nd priority)
1) Number if available (e.g from household statistics)
2) Number of households
3) Number of population divided by average size of households

13. Definitions JQ – Table 6 Sewage sludge production
Refers to dry solids (D.S.) and volume after treatment (such as anaerobic digestion)
Difference production<> disposal: storage at treatment centres or storage facilities passing a calendar year

14. JQ – Table 7

15. Recommendation JQ – Table 7 Long-term target:
identification of receiving waters (distinction marine and inland waters)
 consistency with water use balance

16. Proposal: Indicating data quality
Example 1

17. Proposal: Indicating data quality
Example 2

18. Conclusion
During elaboration of the Data Collection Manual (Version ) some ideas for potential improvement of the JQ-IW were developed. Minor revisions of the JQ-IW could enhance ist internal consistency.
As far as possible the JQ-IW should be harmonised with the UWWTD (definitions,…)
In case harmonisation with UWWTD is not possible, the JQ-IW should provide information concerning the differences.

19. Thank you for your attention!