The Characterisation Process under the Water Framework Directive
Article 5 of the WFD is concerned with the environmental characterisation of the Water Catchment Management planning process. The main elements of which are;
Different water bodies are classified according to their specific type depending on their physical and biological characteristics (typology). This characterisation process aims to provide a clear picture of the actual state of water bodies and the life they support. Thus the initial characterisation is an extremely important process as it aids in:
The setting of environmental objectives
The targeting of monitoring towards water bodies that are at the greatest risk of failing to meet their stated objectives
Providing a starting point for the design of the Programme of Measures - to ensure water bodies achieve the environmental objectives set out for them
Reference conditions define the condition of a water body in a pristine state and so provide a reference point against which the quality of other water bodies can be measured.
It is important to acknowledge the environmental pressures appertaining to all water bodies.
Where evident the impact of human activity on the status of surface waters and groundwater must be assessed. The risk of groundwater and surface waters not achieving good status by 2015 can be measured using a combination of existing monitoring datasets and a predictive approach.
An economic analysis will give a clear picture of the economic issues related to existing water resources. These included the cost of provision of water services and water recovery and will help in the setting up of the Programme of Measures.
It will also help identify water bodies perceived to be ‘at risk’ or ‘not at risk’ of achieving good status by 2015.
| View Report | Economic Analysis of water demand |
| | The report discusses the socio-economic characteristics of the Water Catchment Basin District. It presents the envisaged baseline scenario for the years ahead and gives an overview of the current level of cost-recovery. The main findings, policy recommendations and areas for future research conclude the study.
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| View Report | Economic Analysis of surface waters |
| | This report on the economic analysis of water use required is intended to indicate the likelihood to which pressures on surface waters emanating from economic drivers, at the macro and sectoral levels, are likely to impinge on the attainment of the overall objectives of the WFD and assess the role of environmental policy measures in this respect. This report focuses on the issues surrounding coastal and inland surface waters of Malta, and studies likely developments in economic drivers by means of an assessment of the current socio-economic importance of surface water in the Maltese economy and through the use of forward-looking scenario analyses. It also delves into a number of environmental management measures, including the level of cost recovery for water services in Malta. FINAL REPORT, SUBMITTED TO MEPA By Mr. Gordon Cordina, dated March 2006
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Further characterisation of "at risk" (and "probably at risk") water bodies is carried out once the initial characterisation report has been finalised. This will aid in the construction of the draft Water Catchment Management Plan of 2009.
The following table summarises the Water Bodies of Malta
| Water Boddies (WB) | At Risk | Not At Risk | Exemption |
| MT 001 to MT 018: 16 Ground Water WB | 15 | 1 | |
| MT 101 to MT 119: 19 Coastal WB | | | |
| MT 201 to MT 203: 3 Transitional WB | | | |
| MT 301 to MT 303: 3 River WB | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| MT 401 to MT 404: 4 Lake WB | | | |
Pressures & Impacts Risk Assessment as part of the Characterisation Process
The Pressure and Impact assessment reviews the impact of human activity on surface waters and groundwater and identifies those water bodies that are at risk of failing to meet the Directive's environmental objectives. The assessment is important because it will provide a starting point for integrated catchment management and will additionally inform monitoring programmes.
The central question of the Pressure and Impact assessment is ‘which water bodies are at risk of failing the environmental objectives set out in the Directive?' Therefore, throughout these web pages ‘at risk' means that the Pressure and Impact assessment shows that there is a likelihood that a water body will fail to meet the Directive's environmental objectives by 2015, unless appropriate management action is taken.
The definition ‘at risk' highlights areas where action should be applied to ensure that good status is maintained, or to ensure it is achieved in future. Whilst the assessments represent an initial characterisation of water bodies the Directive requires further characterisation for the said water bodies. Where more detailed assessments are undertaken, the risk category may subsequently change. It should be noted that the assessments cover activities and pressures not previously considered or reported in the management of the water environment in Malta
Environmental objectives
The environmental objectives that need to be achieved under the Directive are:
For surface water
Achievement of good ecological status and good surface water chemical status by 2015
Achievement of good ecological potential and good surface water chemical status for heavily modified water bodies (HMWB) and artificial water bodies (AWB)
Prevention of deterioration from one status class to another
Achievement of water related objectives and standards for protected areas
A progressive reduction in discharges of Priority Substances and a cessation of discharges of Priority Hazardous Substances
For groundwater
Achievement of good groundwater quantitative and chemical status by 2015
Prevention of any deterioration in status
Reversal of any significant and sustained upward trends in pollution and prevention /limiting input of pollutants to groundwater
Achievement of water related objectives and standards for protected areas
Water bodies are considered as being at risk if they fail any of the above mentioned environmental objectives. The first Pressure and Impact assessment focused on the risk that water bodies will fail to achieve good status by 2015. Under the future WFD classification scheme for surface waters, good status will mean that at least mandatory standards need to be met for:
The WFD states that objectives for drinking water in protected areas and Natura 2000 sites will also need to be met. Natura 2000 sites include Special Areas of Conservation under the EU Habitats Directive and Special Protection Areas under the EU Birds Directive.
A new directive establishes the implementation of measures to prevent or limit the input of pollutants into groundwater and to prevent the deterioration of the status of all bodies of groundwater
Working out what is at risk
The definition ‘good status’ is still being defined. Eventually it will be included in the final classification scheme to be used for characterisation and reporting in the future. Thus it makes it difficult to carry out a risk assessment exercise without taking into account improvements that could be made in the future.
The Programme of Measures would have to consider the localised pressures that affect portions of a water body when noting which transitional, coastal and groundwater bodies could be at risk. This is because some water bodies could be very large.
The Pressure and Impact analysis made use of a variety of methods and data to determine what could be an environmental impact. Some of the data recorded environmental impacts such as water quality and the population of flora and fauna. Others calculated what is causing pressure on the environment such as water abstraction sites and locations of physical structures such as ports.
The nature of the data and information available reflect the different approaches. Still it provides a sound base from which to develop monitoring programmes and planning processes. In future data will be more comprehensive.
Register of Protected Areas under the Water Framework Directive
Protected areas require special protection or conservation of habitats and species that depend directly on those waters. Protection is offered under existing national or European legislation.
The register consists of an inventory of protected area sites as outlined below:
This is a new category of protected area which will replace the system of drinking water protection currently provided by the Surface Water Abstraction Directive (75/440/EEC) and will also incorporate groundwater.
These are protected areas established under earlier EC directives aimed at protecting freshwater fish (78/659/EEC).
These are bathing waters designated under the Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) and the new Bathing Water Directive (2006/7/EC).
These comprise nitrate vulnerable zones designated under the Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) and areas designated as sensitive under the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC).
These are areas designated for the protection of habitats or species where the maintenance or improvement of the status of water is an important factor in their protection. These are designated under the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) and the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC).
Malta has compiled a Register of Protected Areas in accordance with the requirements of the WFD and the associated national regulations.