1. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Threshold Values rationalisation – way forward Amended version following clarifications with several questionnaire respondants
Water Framework Directive Common Implementation Strategy – Working Group Groundwater
Johannes Grath
Rob Ward
Manuel Sapiano
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

2. 1. Context and General information
Establishment, assessment and harmonisation of groundwater TVs
Report from the Commission in accordance with Article 3.7 of the Groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC on the establishment of groundwater threshold values:
A. Scheidleder 2012: Groundwater Threshold Values – In-depth assessment of the differences in groundwater threshold values established by Member States. Umweltbundesamt, Austria.
Threshold Values, Initial analysis of 2015 Questionnaire responses:
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

3. Activities following the last WG GW meeting Oct. 2016 in Bratislava
The findings and conclusions were integrated in the draft TOR
Further comments received by mid November 2016 were integrated as well
Upload of final version on CIRCABC
Volunteers for the group: NL, UK, Eurogeosurvey, DK, CZ, MT, IT
Readyness for case studies expressed by: HU, LT, DK, IT
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

4. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Proposed procedure
Due to some other, additional urgent activities for the group (natural conditions, contribution to ATG 4.7, …) and limited resources of WG GW, the following stepwise approach in accordance with the TOR and the minutes of the last WG GW meeting is proposed:
Start with selected issues from objective 1 as outlined in the TOR
Main emphasis: existing information and general quality assessment test; pollutants causing the greatest risks and translating into poor status of GWBs
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

5. Starting point: Objective 1 Terms of Reference
a more in-depth assessment for those pollutants causing the greatest risks and translating into poor status of GWBs considering results of 2nd RBMP (e.g. nitrate, inorganic substances occurring naturally e.g. arsenic, synthetic organic substances, etc.)
… Main emphasis shall be put on general quality assessment (GQA) test. With selected pollutants (as mentioned above), it should be analysed whether for that particular test the presentation of TVs provides comparable results.
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

6. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
GQA-Test (CIS Guidance No. 18 on groundwater status and trend assessment
The reason for starting with TVs for GQA-test:
– the test does not require
receptor specific issues
consideration of dilution factors, attenuation rates etc.
 assumption: variability of TVs for this test – compared to others will be rather low, comparability should be better
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

7. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Available information on TVs – inventory by Tony Marsland (AmecFW) in 2015
Information collected in 2015 for GQA-test (by Tony Marsland, AmecFW - Report: Threshold Values, Initial analysis of 2015 Questionnaire responses):
TVs provided by 24 MS
Pollutants, presented in the report
Nitrate, Arsenic, Ammonium, Cadmium, Nickel – assessed information for the GQA-test see below; Chloride is mentioned in the report as well, but not specifically presented (pollutants in bold are from Annex II GWD)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

8. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Summary information – CVs and TVs for GQA Test inventory by Tony Marsland (AmecFW) in 2015
17 MS provided TVs for 2nd RBMP
13 MS reported for GQA Test:
TV=CV=DWS
partly with excemptions for
synthetic substances
inorganic substances i.e. considering NBL
some substances consideration of EQS
2 MS reported for GQA Test:
TV = CV = 75 % DWS or EQS respectively
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

9. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Nitrate and Arsenic
Source: Tony Marsland, AmecFW - Report: Threshold Values, Initial analysis of 2015 Questionnaire responses
Nitrate:
- 19/20 (95%) MS are within range categories 35 – 50 mg/l
- 1/20 (5%) MS is within category 25 – 29.9 mg/l
Arsenic:
- 14/17 (82%) MS are within range categories 5 – 10 µg/l
- 3/17 (18%) MS are within range categories 10 – 20+ µg/l (NBL?)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

10. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Ammonium
Source: Tony Marsland, AmecFW - Report: Threshold Values, Initial analysis of 2015 Questionnaire responses
Ammonium
11/16 (69 %) MS are within range categories – 0.5 mg/l
remark: some MS provided more than 1 TV – highest category < 2 mg/l (it is assumed due to NBL)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

11. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Cadmium
Source: Tony Marsland, AmecFW - Report: Threshold Values, Initial analysis of 2015 Questionnaire responses
Cadmium
17/17 (100%) MS are within range categories <2 – 5 µg/l
remark: some MS provided more than 1 TV – highest category µg/l (it has to be assumed due to NBL)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

12. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Nickel
Source: Tony Marsland, AmecFW - Report: Threshold Values, Initial analysis of 2015 Questionnaire responses
Nickel
10/10 (100%) MS are within range categories 15 – 20 µg/l
remark: one MS provided more than 1 TV – highest category µg/l (it is assumed due to NBL)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

13. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Further procedure
Further procedure – agreed in Malta:
Collect information, for which synthetic pollutants or other pollutants from Annex II, TVs for the GQA test were laid down by MS
Assessment of TVs for synthetic substances – in particular pesticides - and for other selected pollutants from Annex II List GWD
Presentation of results – in particular variability of TVs for GQA test compared to overall variability of TVs for all tests
Which information (concerning TVs) is available according to current reporting guidelines
Continuation of work, according to objectives outlined in the TOR for this activity
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

14. Pesticides Individual
26 responses
22 countries: TV = 0.1 µg/l (= GWD Annex I quality standard; incl. one country with 2 aggregation periods)
Scale: 20 countries national/regional, 1 at RBD, 3 at GWB
Aggregation period: 4 countries one year incl. 1 with 2 aggregation periods, 9 six years or more, 3 no information provided, others vary
2 countries: TV = µg/l
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

15. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Pesticides Total
25 responses
22 countries: TV = 0.5 µg/l (= GWD Annex I quality standard; incl. one country with 2 aggregation periods)
Scale: 20 countries national/regional, 1 at RBD, 2 at GWB
Aggregation period: 4 countries one year incl. 1 with 2 aggregation periods, 8 six years or more, 3 no information provided, others vary
1 country: TV = µg/l
2 countries: no TV for pesticides total
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

16. Additional TVs for pesticides
4 countries: Aldrin 0.03 µg/l = DWD-DWS
4 countries: Dieldrin 0.03 µg/l = DWD-DWS
3 countries: Heptachlor 0.03 µg/l = DWD-DWS
3 countries: Heptachlor epoxide 0.03 µg/l = DWD-DWS
Remark: µg/l is laid down by 1 country for these substances
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

17. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Trichloroethylene
14 responses
1 country: TV > 10 µg/l
Scale: 9 countries national/regional, 2 at GWB
2 countries: TV = 10 µg/l (= EQSD-AA-EQS)
Aggregation period: 4 countries one year incl. 1 with 2 aggregation periods, 4 six years or more, others vary
5 countries: TV = 4-9 µg/l
3 countries: TV = 1-3 µg/l (incl. one country with 2 aggregation periods)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

18. WG GW Nottingham, 17-18 October 2017
Tetrachloroethylene
14 responses
1 country: TV > 10 µg/l
Scale: 9 countries national/regional, 2 at GWB
2 countries: TV = 10 µg/l (= EQSD-AA-EQS)
Aggregation period: 4 countries one year incl. 1 with 2 aggregation periods, 4 six years or more, others vary
4 countries: TV = 4-9 µg/l
4 countries: TV = 1-3 µg/l (incl. one country with 2 aggregation periods)
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

19. Tri- & Tetrachloroethylene
16 responses
11 countries: TV = 10 µg/l (= DWD-DWS)
Scale: 11 countries national/regional, 1 at RBD, 2 at GWB
3 countries: TV = 7-9 µg/l
Aggregation period: 1 one year, 4 six years or more, 3 no information provided, others vary
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

20. Further TVs for synthetic substances
4 countries: Benzene µg/l
DWD-DWS = 1.0 µg/l
EQSD-AA-EQS = 10 µg/l
4 countries Benzo(a)pyrene: 0.01 – 0.03 µg/l
DWD-DWS = µg/l
EQSD-AA-EQS = 1.7 * 10-4 µg/l
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

21. Further TVs for synthetic substances
3 countries: 1,2-Dichloroethane µg/l
DWD-DWS = 3.0 µg/l
EQSD-AA-EQS = 10 µg/l
2 countries: 1,2-Dichloroethene µg/l
3 countries: PAH (sum) µg/l
DWD-DWS = 0.10 µg/l
2 countries: Trihalomethane 27 – 100 µg/l
DWD-DWS = 100 µg/l
TVs for further synthetic substances were reported, but for each substance only one country
WG GW Nottingham, October 2017

22. Next Steps
More detailed analyses of TVs – bilateral clarifications if needed
Summary report
Presentation of results
Findings of the inventory
Exploring options for presentation of TVs for GQA Test
First draft – developed by activity leads, discussed with group of volunteers before next WG GW meeting