INDEX

CONSULTATIONS

UK NEWS        

INTERNATIONAL NEWS      

PROJECTS

PUBLICATIONS

EVENTS

 

ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

 

CONSULTATIONS

Water affordability in response to the Walker Review of charging for household water and sewerage services

Defra Consultation

(Posted 26 May 2011)

The previous Government commissioned an independent review of charging for household water and sewerage services – The Walker Review – which examined the effectiveness and fairness of current and alternative methods of charging to ensure that England and Wales has a sustainable and fair system of charging in place. The Review’s final report and recommendations were published in December 2009. This consultation document invites views on:

  • Water affordability: some proposed changes to the current WaterSure tariff including funding this from public expenditure, plus what the UK Government guidance to water companies on company social tariffs might cover; and
  • The South West: taking account of Ofwat’s advice, this section sets out options that could reduce the bills of all households in the South West region and those with specific water affordability problems.

Responses should be sent by 17 June.

For further details and information how to respond visit the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/consult/2011/04/05/water-affordability-1104/)

 

Scotland's National Marine Plan: Pre-Consultation Draft

The Scottish Government Pre-Consultation Draft

(Posted 26 May 2011)

The Marine (Scotland) Act received Royal Assent 10 March 2010. The Act creates a new legislative and management framework for the marine environment to manage the competing demands of the use of the sea whilst protecting the marine environment. In particular, Part 3 of the Act places a duty on Scottish Ministers to prepare and adopt a National Marine Plan, followed by regional marine plans. The National Marine Plan will shape national objectives and policies surrounding Scotland’s coastal and marine management. The pre-consultation draft National Marine Plan covers both inshore waters (out to 12 nautical miles) and offshore waters (12 to 200 nautical miles).

This paper is out for public consultation until 7 June 2011.

The document is available on the Scottish Government website:

(http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/03/21114728/0)

 

Preliminary Consultation on River Basin
Planning Guidance Volume 3

Response from Blueprint for Water

(Posted 26 May 2011)

Wildlife and Countryside Link (Link) brings together voluntary organisations in the UK concerned with the conservation, enjoyment and protection of wildlife, countryside and the marine environment. The Blueprint for Water, launched in November 2006, is a campaign of the Link. This response is supported by the Angling Trust, Association of Rivers Trusts, Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust, National Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Salmon & Trout Association and WWF-UK. The response emphasises the need for updated guidance, and addresses a variety of issues including the approach to objectives and reporting, the involvement of stakeholders, strategic planning and regulation and enforcement.

Full text of the response document is available on the Link website:

(http://www.wcl.org.uk/water.asp)

 

UK NEWS       

Defra’s Evidence Investment Strategy: 2010-2013
and beyond - 2011 Update

(Posted 26 May 2011)

Defra’s Evidence Investment Strategy: 2010-2013 and beyond (known as ‘Defra’s EIS’) was published in January 2010. The EIS set out Defra’s plans and approaches to evidence gathering in the context of increasingly complex and interlinked issues, in a world where public expenditure is under pressure and value for money increasingly scrutinised. It focused on the commissioning and use of all major sources of evidence by Defra programmes. The aim of this document is to re-visit Defra’s EIS in light of the changing political landscape, Defra’s Business Plan and the 2010 Spending Review. In doing so it highlights the progress made in implementing the EIS, and summarises the work that has been done on evidence programmes, indicative budgets and the big evidence challenges facing Defra and its network.

For further information on the Defra’s EIS and to download the update document visit the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/2011/04/27/pb13471-evidence-investment-strategy/)

 

CAP Reform

Water UK briefing, April 2011

(Posted 26 May 2011)

Since 2008, Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) payments to farmers have shifted towards reward for environmental improvement. The CAP should act as an incentive to improve the environment and protect water resources, and the forthcoming CAP policy review provides an opportunity to further these aims. The purpose of this briefing paper is to provide a brief background on the history of the CAP, the current drivers for reform, and how the water industry could benefit from change.

The document is available at the Water UK website:

(http://www.water.org.uk/home/policy/positions/cap-reform)

 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS     

US Strategic Agenda To Protect Waters and Build More Livable Communities Through Green Infrastructure

(Posted 26 May 2011)

On 29 April 2011 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a new strategy to promote the use of green infrastructure by cities and towns to reduce stormwater runoff that pollutes  streams, creeks, rivers, lakes and coastal waters. Green infrastructure decreases pollution to local waterways by treating rain where it falls and keeping polluted stormwater from entering sewer systems. The EPA strategy outlines the activities that the Agency will undertake to help communities implement green infrastructure approaches. It focuses on clarifying how green infrastructure can and should be used within the regulatory and enforcement contexts, outreach and information exchange, financing, and tool development and capacity building.

A copy of the Strategic Agenda, full text of the press release and other relevant documents cam be accessed from the EPA website:

(http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/home.cfm?program_id=298)

 

Create a Water fund!

WssTP released its Position Paper on FP8 to create a Water Fund to the European Commission and to its members

(Posted 26 May 2011)

WssTP, the European Technology Platform for Water, was created to stimulate a collaborative, innovative, visionary and integrated Research and Technology Development strategy for the European water sector. WssTP advocates launching a “Water Programme” under the future research programmes of the European Commission, the FP8 and the EIP initiative for a Water Efficient Europe. A successful programme will ensure that there is commonality and alignment of strategic goals between the different funding mechanisms promoted by the Commission. The objectives and ambitions of such a programme is to coordinate funds allocated to water research and coordinate with other key challenges that involve directly or indirectly water in their scope i.e. energy, construction, climate change, minerals, agriculture, health…

For further details visit the WssTP website:

(http://www.wsstp.eu/content/default.asp?PageId=964&LanguageId=0)

 

PROJECTS

WssTP, Water supply and sanitation Technology Platform pilots

(Posted 26 May 2011)

WssTP was initiated by the European Commission in 2004 to promote coordination and collaboration of research and technology development in the water industry. A Pilot is an organisational structure addressing a major European water problem and covering the pre-competitive phase of generic research and enabling technological development as well as the competitive phase of real-life application through a number of specific implementation cases executed by commercial consortia. All pilots are planned in accordance with the Strategic Research Agenda and the principles of Integrated Water Resource Management.

Each pilot programme addresses a major water challenge in Europe related to the SRA:

    Pilot 1: Mitigation of water stress in coastal zones.
    Pilot 2: Sustainable water management inside and around large urban areas.
    Pilot 3: Sustainable water management and agriculture.
    Pilot 4: Sustainable water management for industry.
    Pilot 5: Reclamation of degraded water zones (surface water and groundwater).
    Pilot 6: Proactive and corrective management of extreme hydro-climatic events.

For further information on WssTP, the pilots and their activities visit the WssTP website:

(http://www.wsstp.eu/content/default.asp?PageId=754&LanguageId=0)

 

PUBLICATIONS

Adaptation Reporting Power received reports

(Posted 26 May 2011)

It is essential that the organisations responsible for vital services and infrastructure are making the necessary plans to prepare for the risks from a changing climate. In the first round of reporting (2009-11), Defra asked 91 key  infrastructure providers to submit adaptation plans in response to Directions to report under the Climate Change Act 2008. āReports have been received so far from the benchmarker organisations and the water utility companies. Over the remainder of 2011 Defra will publish the remainder of the reports on their website, covering electricity generators, electricity transmitters, electricity distribution, gas transporters, rail, strategic airports, harbour authorities and economic regulators.

The reports submitted so far can be found on the Defra website:

(http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/climate/sectors/reporting-authorities/reporting-authorities-reports/)

 

The State of Scotland’s Soil

Natural Scotland, Dobbie, K.E., Bruneau, P.M.C and Towers, W. (eds) 2011.

(Posted 26 May 2011)

The publication of this report is an action arising from the 2009 Scottish Soil Framework. It aims to contribute to the wider understanding that soils are a vital part of our economy, environment and heritage, to be safeguarded for existing and future generations. This report will be revised in a web format before the end of 2011, taking into account any new

information available and the feedback received on this publication. It will then be published on Scotland’s Environment website, which will allow it to be regularly updated in future as new information becomes available.

The document can be accessed from the SEPA website:

(http://www.sepa.org.uk/land/land_publications.aspx)

 

EVENTS

7th International SedNet conference 2011

Sediments and Biodiversity: Bridging the gap between science and policy

06-09 April 2011, Venice, Italy

(Posted 26 May 2011)

The event run in two parts: Special Sessions on 6-7 April and the main Conference on 7-8 April. In addition there was an excursion on 9 April to site works in the Venice lagoon.

The special sessions were intended to provide a forum for a focused and in-depth analysis of the following four selected topics:

  • Sustainable dredging of Mediterranean Ports: the future for sediment management
  • Sediments in a changing environment
  • Dredged material assessment nowadays and in the future
  • The importance of sediment for biodiversity

The main conference covered a wide range of topics within the five following sessions:

  • Biodiversity: from the mountain to the sea
  • Biodiversity at risk
  • Management and policy; case studies
  • River Basin management / Coastal Zone Management
  • Monitoring / Modelling

The full programme of the conference, the presentation, reports on the special sessions and other documents are available on the SedNet website:

(http://www.sednet.org/conference2011.htm)

 

Water Framework Directive (WFD), EQS Directive (2008/105/EC)

Workshop on Using the CIS Mixing Zone Guidelines

05 – 06 April 2011, Joint Research Centre in Ispra, Italy

(Posted 26 May 2011)

This was a practical workshop on the recently agreed CIS Mixing Zones Guidelines. The workshop was aimed at river basin planners and staff involved in the negotiation and issue of discharge permits as well as at other technical and policy officials involved in the implementation of Water Framework Directive.

Documents from the workshop are available on the CIRCA website:

(http://circa.europa.eu/Public/irc/env/wfd/library?l=/framework_directive/implementation_conventio/workshop_guidelines/worshop_april_2011&vm=detailed&sb=Title)

 

6th EWA Annual Brussels Conference Implementing
the River Basin Management Plans:

State of Reporting and Expectations

05 November 2010, Brussels, Belgium

(Posted 26 May 2011)

On the occasion of the 6th EWA Brussels Conference the European Water Association published its first Water Manifesto. It will be updated regularly and will focus on ‘hot topics’ at that time. By means of its Water Manifesto, the EWA draws attention to current  important water issues in Europe and makes proposals for their resolution by the sustainable management and use of water resources. EWA calls upon the society in general and all relevant stakeholders to strive for responsible use and exploitation of water. The Manifesto covers the following topics:

  • Adapting to Climate Change
  • Implementation of the WFD
  • Pluvial Flooding across Europe
  • Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation Infrastructure
  • Water related Urban Planning
  • Sewage Sludge
  • Priority Substances and Coordination with REACH
  • Water and Biodiversity

For further information and to download the Manifesto visit the EWA website:

(http://www.ewaonline.de/portale/ewa/ewa.nsf/home?readform)

Proceedings from the conference are available to download at the EWA website:

(http://www.ewaonline.de/portale/ewa/ewa.nsf/home?readform&objectid=EB1A1F573A5823BBC12577D700322D30)