Significant Water Management Issues (SWMI) Report – Draft Template

South Eastern PSC

Dec 2006

SWMI – What is it?• Public information and consultation report to

encourage active involvement of all interested parties in the Water Framework Directive

• Article 14 – interim overview of the significant water management issues in the river basin, made available for public and users comment, 2 years before the beginning of the river basin management plan

• A “local” document

• Timescale - publish 22 June 2007

SWMI - What is it?• SWMI = Significant Water Management Issues

Significant Water Issues

Management Issues

• How to identify priorities and focus efforts for the first river basin management plan?

Significant Water Issues• Significant water issues:

– Article 5 analysis – POMS studies scoping– OSPAR nutrient quantification– National reports – Historical catchment plans & water quality reports – P Reg plans etc– Compendium of responses/stakeholder responses– Expert review– RBD groups (3 issues & good practice examples?)

Management Issues• Management issues:

– What management tools are already in place?– Where are the management gaps? – What are the solutions?

SWMI TemplateDocuments Reviewed

• UK TAG template

• Welsh Office RBMP guidance

• SEPA contents & draft chapters

• EA draft document

• Schedlt document

• French document

Consultations • SWAN workshop• UK TAG River Basin Management Group• DEHLG• EHS (DoE NI) • POMS CG - RBD co-ordinators/managers, EPA, GSI, NPWS• NTCG• NS Share Steering Group• RBDACs (workshop) • NI stakeholders forum• Working Group on Water Quality• NCG• Interagency Group• RDD groups - Advisory Councils/steering/management/public

authorities

SWMI Template

SWMI TemplateLength between 30 and 40 pages

How many issues 9 or 10

LanguagePlain English (non technical)Use of question and answer format to aid input

Style Well illustrated

Hardcopy vs electronicHard copy - alternative formats & translations

SWMI TemplateOwnership of the ReportRoI RBD lead authorities - POMS CG - NTCGConsultation link to RBDAC

RBD report vs National reportRBD report gives local ownership & leads to draft plan• 8 RBD reports – full harmonisation

However as the main RoI POMS studies are national:• Much of the content is generic • Each project will input to every SWMI

Requires close co-ordination

SWMI TemplateChapter Headings

1.0 Introduction

2.0 Assessment of Pressures and Impacts

3.0 Significant Water Management Issues

4.0 Measures

5.0 Next Steps and Conclusions

Timescale

• publish 22 June 2007

SWMI Group DiscussionThree discussion groups (1, 2, 3) Project team to record agreed issues for feedback session Water IssuesWhat issues are the most significant?What do you see as the main causes of these problems?

Management IssuesWhat are the management gaps?Is there ownership of local problems?What activities might help to deliver improvements?

Other Input from StakeholdersIdentify good practice examples in the SERBD?

SWMI RBMG DiscussionWater Issues• Planning and landuse change • Agriculture & changes (eg biofuels)• Point discharges/sludge spreading/tertiary treatment• Rural housing/septic tanks• Climate change (flooding & droughts)• Combined system overflows • Dredging of channels/culverts/weir• Alien species/biodiversity• Forestry • Abstractions• Domestic behaviour – consumption & product usage

SWMI RBDAC DiscussionWater Issues• Planning and landuse change • Agriculture & changes (eg biofuels)• Point discharges – WWTP, WTP, industries, landfills,

mines & quarries• Dumping• Rural housing/septic tanks• Climate change (flooding & droughts)• Weirs & boats movements• Alien species/biodiversity• Abstractions – protection of sources/water shortages• Domestic behaviour – consumption & product usage• Road & urban drainage & loss of flood plains

SWMI RBMG DiscussionManagement Issues• Need for joined up development control• Lack of resources • Economics - charging• Political will• Need for education & awareness campaigns• Improved enforcement – continuity of personnel• Availability of emergency numbers• Agricultural measures - Nitrates directive & CAP

reform• GWPS • Riparian zones

SWMI RBDAC DiscussionManagement Issues• Joined up development control – plan & upgrade

before development• Lack of resources • Economics – charging• Lack of ownership of the problems• Education & awareness campaigns• Enforcement – use of power• Support for NGO initiatives • Nitrates Regs• Riparian zone protection• Water harvesting & alternative treatments

SWMI RBMG DiscussionOther Input from Stakeholders• Inland waterways (Barrow Valley) – schools

competition• Harvesting rainwater for non-consumption uses –

Kilkenny pilot

SWMI RBDAC DiscussionOther Input from Stakeholders• Several litter picking initiatives• Barrow floodplains• Quarry silt ponds (not increased)• Fair trade advertising• SUDS schemes on new developments• Constructed wetlands

SERBD SWMIPOMS – National Issues

Schedule of Approved Studies & Lead RBDs

Leading RBD Measures & Standards Study Name

WRBD 1. On-site Wastewater Treatment Systems

2. Forest and Water

ShRBD 3. Freshwater Morphology

SERBD 4. Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards

SWRBD 5. Industrial & Municipal Regulation

6. Dangerous Substances

7. Marine Morphology

8. Heavily Modified Water Bodies & Artificial Water Bodies

9. Water Balance Model for Setting Chemical Water Quality Standards

ERBD 10. Abstraction Pressures

11. Groundwater Risk from Diffuse Mobile Organics

12. Urban Pressures in rivers, transitional and ground waters

13. Further Economic Characterisation

SERBD SWMISE RBMG – previous discussion topics

• Coastwatch Ireland – demonstration projects (biodiversity survey & alien species)

• SWAN – article 5 feedback (communication programmes)• Coillte – risk analysis (forests and waters)• South Tipperary – Suir implementation group (LA best

practices)• Waterways Ireland – Barrow Navigation (HMWB)• *Teagasc – WFD and CAP interaction (agriculture)

SERBD SWMICollation of Issues

• Comparison with National priorities• Comparison with SE discussion topics• Comparison of SE RBMG & RBDAC identified issues• Further discussions with represented groups• Collation of issues – 15 January• Issues may form discussion topics for future meetings