The quality of the water in which ecosystems exist and which we drink, bathe in and use is an important environmental and public health concern.

The Water Framework Directive provides the EU framework for water policy based on the principle of integrated river basin management, which is currently in the initial phase of implementation in the Member States.

Water pollution coming from urban waste water and certain industrial sectors is regulated by the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive of 1991, whilst the quality of our drinking water is regulated by the Drinking Water Directive of 1998.

More recently, John Bowis was involved in the revision of the Bathing Water Directive, the new Protection of Groundwater Against Pollution Directive, the Flood Risk Management Directive, and the Directive for the Protection of the Marine Environment.

Bathing Water:

The quality of bathing waters in rivers, lakes and coastal waters are regulated by the Bathing Water Quality Directive which sets out binding water quality standards. This directive dates back to 1976, but was revised, with the European Parliament approving the new law in May 2005.

· The new directive includes higher water quality standards, but on two rather than nineteen tests, affecting public health (gastro-enteritis and e-coli), and takes a more integrated quality management approach with harmonised methods for handling water samples.

· The Blue Flag scheme uses the European legislation in its criteria for awarding flags and the UK Marine Conservation Society uses the standards in compiling the Good Beach Guide.

John Bowis welcomed the chance to simplify and update the legislation, to make it flexible and to improve information to the public about the quality of bathing waters across Europe. British Conservatives led the debate to ensure amendments which would have imposed rules for no discernible health benefit and added major costs to agriculture and water consumers were not successful.

Groundwater:

Groundwater is the water found underground; it is more widely present than surface water, but it is more difficult to prevent pollution and to monitor and restore water quality. There is a danger that it can be “out of sight, out of mind”. Many rivers derive more than 50% of their annual flow from groundwater, especially in the summer. Because groundwater flows slowly, the effects of pollution are long-lasting. Pollution from domestic, agricultural and industrial sources is increasing. Due to the long-lasting effects of pollution, the expense of clean-up and the health hazard to drinking water, it is better to prevent or reduce the risk of pollution.

The European Parliament and Council have agreed measures to prevent and control groundwater pollution by defining common criteria on good chemical status of water and on reversing trends which show a deterioration of water quality. John Bowis was involved in the Conciliation process to find an agreement (October 2006).

Flood Risk Management Directive:

Between 1998 and 2004 Europe suffered over 100 major damaging floods, causing some 700 deaths and the displacement of half a million people and costing €25 billion in insured economic losses.

Adopted in early 2007, the Flood Risk Management Directive sets out a range of measures that Member States will need to take to assess and manage flood risk. Member State will have to carry out preliminary assessments to identify river basins and associated coastal areas at risk of flooding. For such zones, a flood risk map and plan will be required.

Great Britain already leads the EU in flood management and thus she already complies with many of the provisions of the Directive. UK Conservatives fought successfully to stop over-burdensome requirements for mapping and modelling of sewage systems, the inclusion of which could have had significant impacts on house prices.

Marine Environment:

The European Commission has proposed a Thematic Strategy on the Protection and Conservation of the Marine Environment as well as a Marine Strategy Directive. These aim to achieve good environmental status of the EU’s marine waters by 2021, to protect the resource base upon which marine-related economic and social activities depend, and to establish a network of marine reserves.

John Bowis has been working to ensure options are open for carbon capture and storage in the seabed.