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Delivering Access to Environmental Information:

Challenges & Opportunities

Áine Ryall

EPA Water Event, Galway, 13 June 2013

Back to Basics

Why is access to environmental information so important?

How best to engage the public in protecting water quality?

Back to Basics

What are the best means of delivering access to environmental information?

The public/NGOs = a very diverse body of “tough critics” – and rightly so!

Public attitudes to information on drinking water quality?

Is there a strong demand for info on drinking water quality?

Who is looking for this info?

Will the demand/public expectation increase when water charges are introduced?

Legal Framework

Aarhus Convention

↓

EU environmental law

↓

Set of International &EU law standards

Legal Framework

Aarhus Convention

Dir 2003/4/EC on public access to environmental information

AIE Regs 2007 to 2011

And, of course, specific water legislation at EU & national level

Rationale behind the right of access to environmental information?

Aarhus Convention

- Rights & duties

- Justifications for Aarhus rights

- Public authorities hold environmental information in the public interest

Dir 2003/4/EC

Guarantees a right of access to environmental information held by, or for, public authorities (Article 3(1))

Right is subject to certain exceptions (Article 4)

Dir 2003/4/EC

Dissemination of environmental information (Article 7)

Speaks of “active and systematic dissemination” of environmental information to the public

Strong emphasis on ICT and electronic databases

Dir 2003/4/EC

Quality of environmental information(Article 8)

Speaks of “up to date, accurate and comparable” information

AIE Regulations 2007 to 2011

Based on Dir 2003/4/EC

Commissioner for Environmental Information

General duties of public authorities

New Guidance Notes on AIE Regs (May 2013)

Case study: info on water quality

A member of the public’s perspective & experience with two random scenarios:

- Drinking water quality info for Cork City

- Bathing water quality info for Castlegregory Co Kerry

Case study: info on water quality

What is a (non-expert/lay) member of the public looking for in terms of water quality info?

Public expectations?

Information – as opposed to raw data - that is:

- Up to date (how do you define this?)

- Accurate/complete

- Easily accessible - preferably online & free of charge

Public expectations?

- Understandable/user-friendly

- Comparable with other relevant data sets

- Reliable/independently verified

- Oversight of compilation/verification etc

Drinking water quality info – Cork City

Cork City Council website

EPA website

Cork City Council – www.corkcity.ie

Home page – link - ‘Drinking Water Quality’

With links to:

2013 Results – Test results - Quarter 12012 Results2011 Results

Cork City Council – www.corkcity.ie

Additional info for 2011:

- Non-compliances in 2011

- Summary of public water supply quality in 2011

EPA website – www.epa.ie

Cork City Council – Drinking water quality

Water – Drinking Water

EPA Report, The Provision & Quality of Drinking Water in Ireland 2011 (2012)

Drinking Water Audits

EPA website – www.epa.ie

Online Drinking Water Notification System for Water Services Authorities

Username and password required to log notification of exceedances of parametric values

EPA website – www.epa.ie

EPA Remedial Action List (RAL)Quarter 1 – 2013

Cork City Water Supply is listed on the RAL

What does this mean to a member of the public?

Levels of compliance with Circular Letter WSP 6/09

Ministerial Circular on the Publication of Drinking Water Quality Monitoring Results

Referenced in EPA Annual Reports on Drinking Water Quality – e.g. 2011 & 2010

Bathing water quality info - Castlegregory

Kerry County Council – www.kerrycoco.ie

Beaches – Beach Water Quality

Up to 21 beaches monitored in Kerry during the season - June 1- Sept 15

Bathing water quality info - Castlegregory

2013 Results Castlegregory data (dated 22.5.13)

Also – Splash – EPA online bathing water system

EPA, The Quality of Bathing Water in Ireland 2012

European Environment Agency - EEA

State of bathing waters portal

http://www.eea.europa.eu/themes/water/interactive/bathing/state-of-bathing-waters

Multi-media presentation - ‘Share your information on bathing water’

Challenges & Opportunities?

Challenges:

To deliver useful, relevant & up to date information on water quality to the public

Proactive delivery of information & ongoing engagement with the public

Challenges & Opportunities?

Demonstrate leadership & innovation

Meet/exceed public expectations

Thinking outside the box

Future directions?

Information and awareness about environmental rights & obligations

Greater public engagement on water quality issues

Role of the media?

Future directions?

Political will to deliver on environmental rights?

Resources to support environmental rights? – active dissemination of environmental information

Future directions?

Champion the right of access to environmental justice → enforcement of environmental rights

Role of social media in terms of promoting public engagement