493 million people and 1 water framework directive for integrated and sustainable water resource management in Europe - A look beyond the rim of the teacup

New Zealand’s water quality and quantity issues, e.g. declining water quality, over-allocation of freshwater and groundwater resources, conflicting water uses, poor pricing of water supply and wastewater services etc. are identical or similar to those in European countries.

Recent assessments estimate that at least 40% of the EU's surface water bodies are at risk of not meeting the objectives of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). Enacted in the year 2000, the WFD sets the goal of achieving a “good status” for all of EU's surface waters (incl. transitional and coastal waters) and groundwater by 2015. In principle it is designed to

• reduce pollution of water, especially by so-called ‘priority’ and ‘priority hazardous’ substances,
• promote the sustainable and economic use of water,
• enhance the status and prevent further deterioration of aquatic ecosystems and associated wetlands and
• ensure progressive reduction of groundwater pollution.

In view of New Zealand’s urgent and diverse water resource challenges, an integrated “water perspective” deems advisable. Such strategies and approaches, like the WFD, are readily available and adaptable. They provide concepts and a good starting point to deal with those challenges. However they may not be well-known or understood abroad. This paper offers a brief insight into the European milestone water legislation that emerged from an urge to tackle diverse water problems and that has changed not only the water sector(s) in the 27 EU member states and beyond, but also the mindsets of professionals and the public involved. The overview sketches the goals, general philosophy, main pillar stones, governance, process and timeframe of this legislation and describes certain aspects, e.g. the holistic inter-disciplinary approach, the initial characterisation of the river basins and review of the environmental impact of human activity, the monitoring programmes (to classify the status of water bodies), the economic instruments and the River Basin Management Plans in more detail. Additional examples of how Europe is tackling water pollution from urban storm- and wastewater, and diffuse pollution from agriculture complement the overview.