Water status monitoring of aquatic ecosystems in the context of the WFD

Introductory remarks to the themed issue

The EU Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) (WFD) is probably the most significant and ambitious legislative instrument in the water sector that has ever been introduced on an international basis and covers 27 countries. It is based upon integrated environmental management with the key objectives to prevent any further deterioration of water bodies and to protect and enhance the status of aquatic ecosystems and associated wetlands. It aims to promote sustainable water consumption and will contribute to mitigating the effects of floods and droughts. The former issue is a particularly topical point in the UK at present.

The Royal Society of Chemistry, the Society of Chemical Industry and the Institution of Water Officers organised the March 2007 Lille Conference entitled “Water Status Monitoring of Aquatic Ecosystems in the context of the Water Framework Directive”. This conference highlighted the technical requirements of the WFD ecological and chemical status-monitoring programme by providing highly relevant case studies about river water, lake water, sea water and groundwater monitoring, as well as discussions about hydrogeological settings and mapping, and modelling and its links to decision-making. Contributions from scientific projects focused on studies of soil–water–sediment interactions, groundwater environmental objectives, emerging methods for water monitoring, links between ecological and chemical status, analytical quality control, and the development of a network of reference laboratories for monitoring of “emerging” potentially toxic substances.

The importance of fit for purpose analysis results across the EU was stressed throughout the conference. It is rather pointless setting limit values for toxic parameters if the laboratories across the EU cannot obtain consistent analysis results for these parameters. It is necessary to be able to analyse some of these parameters down to 1 ng L⁻¹ (parts per trillion). Also, the need for developing and validating low cost, robust, fit for purpose screening methods was stressed. The cost of carrying out routine conventional analysis on an on-going basis for all listed parameters across the whole EU would be prohibitive. Thus, these low cost, validated screening methods will be an essential requirement. Another related issue is appropriate sampling and the problems of using spot samples to detect potential transient pollution. Considerable development of passive sampling devices has taken place and this was a major topic of discussion at the conference.

Water management policy, as set out in the WFD, is focused on water as it flows through river basins to the sea, and its provisions apply to all waters—inland surface waters, ground waters, transitional (estuarine) and coastal waters. An integrated approach has been developed for water quality and water quantity matters, and also for surface and groundwater issues. The Directive introduces a framework for water management based upon river basin districts. The overriding objective of the policy is the achievement of ‘good status’ in all waters by the end of 2015. Linked to the WFD objectives, a series of milestones have to be complied with (such as an analysis of pressures and impacts, and a characterisation of water bodies), including monitoring programmes to be operational by the end of 2006. Water status monitoring under the WFD will represent a cornerstone for European environmental assessment, which will be closely co-ordinated with the European Environment Agency's State of the Environment programme in the context of WISE (Water Information System for Europe). The wide-scale gathering of monitoring data will be of obvious interest to all those involved in environmental sciences, including soil and sediments. The effectiveness of the monitoring programmes, and hence of the overall WFD implementation, will depend highly on the ability of Member States' laboratories to measure the status of Community waters (as well as sediments and biota) and changes in this status. Fit for purpose sampling and associated measurement data will, therefore, represent the foundation of the water quality evaluation system. Economic decisions, many costing millions of Euro, will be based upon this data relating to the programme of measures required to achieve WFD environmental objectives. This huge challenge will require not only a co-ordination and possible harmonisation at EU level, but also exchanges of expertise, experiences and best practices among the policy implementers and the practitioners (including the scientific community, industry and environmental NGOs). In this respect, a range of EU-funded research projects, as well as industry-driven initiatives, are contributing to gathering knowledge and developing technical and scientific expertise in direct support to the implementation of the WFD.

One of the main intentions of the conference was to foster Science-to-Policy Integration in the field of European Water Policy. This is an essential pre-condition for the effective use of research results, and for an efficient funding strategy within the EU 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development.

The conference organising committee are very grateful to the Journal of Environmental Monitoring for the opportunity to publish this collection of papers derived from posters presented at the Lille conference. We feel that these papers are consistent both with the objectives of the WFD with respect to water status monitoring as well as the breadth and scope of the journal.

K. Clive Thompson

ALcontrol Laboratories, Rotherham, UK S60 1BZ

---