The benefits of networking - experiences from the ENMaR project

1. The benefits of networking - experiences from the ENMaR project Aquafil Seminar, Brussels January 29th 2007

2. ENMaR project partners: • Kommunale Umwelt-AktioN U.A.N. • Oldenburgisch-Ostfriesischer Wasserverband OOWV • Mersey Basin Campaign • University of Manchester • Universidad Santiago de Compostela • Vides Projekti • Emåförbundet

3. water framework directive regional development

4. ENMaR • provides information to municipalities to help improve sustainable water services • provides guidance, good practice and support to spatial planners to better inform land based planning decisions • encourages municipalities to understand and use the existing and potential relationship between tourism activities and water quality • helps create a common understanding of the impacts and potential gains of forestry and agriculture on water bodies

5. At the beginning • little interest and little knowledge concerning the WFD reasons: • complicated and complex subject • long-term implementation until 2015, 2027 • resistance against heteronomy from Brussels • no municipal concern on first sight • water related tasks are delegated to relevant associations • up to now municipalities have hardly been integrated in the implementation process of the WFD

6. Municipalities‘ concern Water status and use Waste water treatmentdrinking water supplywater body maintenance Urban land use planning Flood protection Tourism Agenda 21 WFD issues Municipalities

7. Benefits of the WFD for municipalities would be • decrease the risk of floods for the building area • upvaluation of the scenery with positive impacts for the residents • completing the measures to improve water structure with elements supporting tourism as for example a cycle path  An early and active involvement of the municipalities at the now starting measurement planning

8. Spatial planning and WFD Use of impact regulation to implement the WFD? Link to Agenda 21? Combine with measures to support NATURA 2000? Integrate into municipal concepts of tourism? Use the SEA to facilitate the implementation of measures? NLÖ 2001

9. Needs identified • improve the co-ordination of different local plans created by planning authorities and other organisations within the water sector • reduce the number of single-issue plans on water • Work in partnership with other water management interests and to enable public participation in the river basin planning process • influence other plans and the decisions of other organisations which have an impact on water  • evaluate measures and adapt plans and management strategies to take account of changes in knowledge and circumstances • consider water as a core planning issue, which should be given greater priority. It could lead to waterside regeneration, and water becoming the „lifeblood of landscapes“

10. The Mersey Basin Campaign joined ENMaR because the local authorities in England were not participating in the Water Framework Directive. ENMaR is now raising awareness of WFD among local authority planners in England’s Northwest and discussing how to make the most of it. It has been a valuable experience to work with planning officers from the municipalities within the Mersey basin and to learn the extent to which they are considering the WFD and its linkages to spatial planning. I like working on this project because I can exchange information and knowledge with people from another countries, which is always enriching. We can learn many different things from many different people, but I think what we have all learnt is the importance of water in our lives. I think it is important to learn from each other and it isn’t so smart to invent the wheel twice. So far I’ve learnt in the project that we have very different conditions. There are for example only 80.000 people living in the Emån Basin and in the same surface are about 5 million people living in the Mersey Basin. There is of course a big difference in impact on the River Basins, but the main problems are the same such as flooding, nutrients etc.

11. 3 years ago there was a disaster on the coast of Galicia where an oil tanker called the Prestige sank. I saw the lives of various people ruined by the pollution that was spread across Galicia to Asturias and down to Portugal by the tanker. Since then I have been interested in water pollution and the effects it can have on all walks of life in an area. Although the five project regions are different with regard to water status and priority problems, there is a good potential for similar solutions to problems, thus each country can benefit from that. Furthermore, it has become clear that the implementation of the WFD is influencing many sectors beyond the classical urban waste water management. The integration of water policy goals into other sector’s development policy is one of the successes to achieve the good water status in our waters in agreed timeline. The project ENMaR provides the opportunity to assist our municipal members, to work on specific questions regarding the objectives of the WFD and to deliver options for solutions. Further on the inter-municipal network shall be expanded on the long-term. We consider the implementation of the WFD as a chance to keep and improve regional location factors. Municipalities can get active within this process and we are looking forward to supporting them. It is always very stimulating and interesting to see and learn more about how other countries are working. How they deal with problems and their development. I think one of the first thing that comes up is that we have very similar problems. You get an “aha experience” when you realize that other people in other countries are dealing with the same questions as yourself.

12. Added value for ENMaR municipalities • awareness, interest, and knowledge • about the WFD • about other technical issues • about problems and solutions of municipalities in other regions • information on methods, instruments, funding sources •  tools to make use of it!

13. Added value for ENMaR municipalities • more than 35 regional workshops with about 1100 participants on: • sustainable drainage systems – sustainable use of water • flooding, risk assessment and management • sustainable use of water, regional development • waste water management at municipalities and the river basin management approach • potential trends in tourism development and possible impacts on water • “water connects” – water supply, tourism, nature conservation, flood protection, forestry •  tools to make use of it!

14. Benefits of networking /public participation • ecological, economical and social aspects are discussed from the municipal point of view, • intension to simplify bureaucratic processes through inter-municipal co-operation • better communication, coordination and cooperation with other water management interests • win-win-situations can be realised: benefits for the development of the municipalities and the implementation of the WFD • public participation avoids delays within implementation processes

15. European Award Our Waters – cost-effective measures to implement the water framework directive – under the patronage of Mr. Stavros Dimas, Kommunale Umwelt-AktioN U.A.N. Ministry of Environment of Lower Saxony www.ourwaters.net deadline for submission: March 31st 2007 !

16. www.enmar.org To be published at the final conference 18/19 October: "Planning and Water - practical examples" Thank you for your attention!