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Environmental Drivers Gerard O’Leary Environmental Protection Agency 10 th October 2012

Environmental Drivers Gerard O’Leary Environmental Protection Agency 10 th October 2012. Summary. Framework for the protection of the biology , chemistry , and natural physical form of all surface and groundwaters and dependent waterbodies . Water Framework Directive (WFD) .

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Environmental Drivers Gerard O’Leary Environmental Protection Agency 10 th October 2012

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  1. Environmental DriversGerard O’LearyEnvironmental Protection Agency10th October 2012

  2. Summary Frameworkfor the protection of the biology, chemistry, and natural physical form of all surface and groundwaters and dependent waterbodies. Water Framework Directive (WFD)

  3. Water Framework Directive WFD aims to achieve Integration of • Environmental objectives (Quality, quantity & ecology) • All water resources (freshwater, coastal, wetlands) • Disciplines & Data (biology, chemistry, hydrology, economics) • Legislation (Nitrates, Urban Waste water, Shellfish Regs) • Decision making (Local, River Basin, National) • Measures (land use, management, pricing) • Stakeholders (local authorities, NGOs, civil society) So, our WFD approach should reflect this integration !

  4. Water Quality in Ireland • Groundwater (EPA data) • 85% of groundwater aquifers are at Good status • 14% of GW area ‘poor’ due to Nitrogen and Phosphate • Rivers • 71%is at High or Good status, • 29% river channel is polluted • Lakes • 42% of lake area is High or Good status • 58% of lake area polluted, mainly by Phosphorus • Estuarine and Coastal Waters • 64% of bays are at High or Good status, • 15% polluted

  5. Comparison of Water Q in Ireland with other countries (based on EEA website data)

  6. Urban and Domestic Wastewater

  7. AssetMap

  8. Level of treatment provided • ~ 92% of waste water receives at least secondary treatment (based on p.e.) • Significant improvement since 2001

  9. Effluent quality at all 2° plants Over 530 urban areas are subject to the licensing system. • Discharges from all 432 secondary treatment plants assessed against effluent quality and monitoring standards/guide values. • 58% of plants complied with the standards/guide values.

  10. Key pressures from waste water • Observed impacts (WFD - Improve): • 10 linked with bathing water failures or seriously polluted river sites • 52 linked with moderately or slightly polluted river sites • Vulnerable receptors (WFD – Protect): - 35 prioritised for protection of freshwater pearl mussel - 55 are key pressures on designated shellfish waters

  11. Cause of reported incidents

  12. Key pressures from waste water • Poor infrastructure (UWWTD) • 18 large urban areas lack the mandatory treatment required by Directive. • In total 36 urban areas (>500 p.e.) discharge waste water without treatment. • Data on SWO’s is lacking and many do not meet specified criteria.

  13. Drinking Water

  14. Quality of Drinking Water Public Private

  15. E.coli: Outcomes New EPA Enforcement Powers

  16. Chemical Parameters –THMs 100 ug/l THM limit Comparison of no. of public water supplies where E.Coli or THM’s were detected at least once from 2004 to 2010

  17. The customer Currently…

  18. Currently…

  19. Concluding remarks (sewage) • Move to a Preventative maintenance programme • Management of sewage sludge • Bathing Water Regulations and beach profiles • Waste Water Odour and Noise Regulations • Licensing of effluent discharges to sewers

  20. Concluding remarks contd (drinking water) • Source protection measures • The moving from monitoring to risk management (i.e. implementation of WSPs) • Management of drinking water sludge • Vulnerability of drinking plants to env. challenges (e.g. poor weather and VTEC) • Improvements in operational practices (e.g. responses to alarms) • Communication to the public – availability of information

  21. Thank you

  22. WSP steps - Summary Preparation 1 Assemble the WSP team System assessment 2 Describe the water supply system 3 Identify hazards and hazardous events and assess the risks 4 Determine and validate control measures, reassess and prioritise the risks 5 Develop, implement and maintain an improvement programme 6 Define monitoring of the control measures (operational monitoring) 7 Verify the effectiveness of the WSP Management and communication 8 Prepare management procedures 9 Develop supporting programmes Feedback and improvement 10 Plan and carry out periodic review of the WSP 11 Revise the WSP following an incident

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