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National Federation of Group Water Schemes

National Federation of Group Water Schemes. Water Services National Training Group 5 th Annual Rural Water Services Conference. SOURCE PROTECTION - A FARMER’S PERSPECTIVE. Brendan O’Mahony Chairman, National Federation of Group Water Schemes. SOURCE PROTECTION – WHAT IS IT?.

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National Federation of Group Water Schemes

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  1. National Federation of Group Water Schemes Water Services National Training Group 5th Annual Rural Water Services Conference

  2. SOURCE PROTECTION - A FARMER’S PERSPECTIVE Brendan O’Mahony Chairman, National Federation of Group Water Schemes

  3. SOURCE PROTECTION – WHAT IS IT? • Different Levels • Restrictions on farming practices in the vicinity of drinking water abstraction points. • Generalised or specific? • Recognise site vulnerability, or not?

  4. Buffer Zones – a general restriction. • Number of restricted land applications of manures. • Chemical fertilisers reduced buffer. • Or, complete sterilisation from farming.

  5. GENERALISED BUFFER ZONES • Uniformed areas along • rivers • streams • abstraction points. • Biodiversity issues. • New farming buffers alongside original buffer zones.

  6. RESTRICTIONS ON FARMING NOT NEW • Water Pollution Acts 1977 & 1990. • Section 12/23. • EPA licensing of Intensive Agricultural Enterprises (IAEs). • REPS. • Code of Good Agricultural Practice (1996). • Code of Farming Practice (cross-compliance). • Nitrates Regulations (2006). • Single Farm Payment (SFP) cross-compliance.

  7. NITRATES REGULATIONS • Specific restrictions on land applications near abstraction points. • Width of buffers varies depending on size / use of abstraction source.

  8. Code of good agricultural practice (1996). • Voluntary. • Generalised restrictions on land applications up to 300 metres. • Different buffers for chemical Vs organic fertilisers.

  9. FARMING PERSPECTIVE • Dependent on whether source protection is generalised or specific. • Are underlying reasons clear? • Precautionary principle. • What are implications of restrictions for incomes / land values?

  10. In the context of restrictions on established farming practice to protect sources:- • Farmers would expect any income loss to be made good. • Accepted principle, e.g. Germany, USA.

  11. Basis for identifying / calculating income loss will need to be agreed. • Land value effects • e.g. Nitrates regulations provide for defined specific buffers.

  12. CONCLUSIONS • Source protection – a fact of life. • Nothing new. • Extent increasing. • Should only be response to real risks. • Need clear link between farming and risk, otherwise compensation must be addressed. • Fair basis for measuring income loss. • Possible land value implications.

  13. National Federation of Group Water Schemes Water Services National Training Group 5th Annual Rural Water Services Conference

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