Water quality objectives as a management tool for sustainability

The aim of this paper is to explore the potential role that quality objectives, particularly when backed by statutory force, may play in the sustainable management of river water quality. Economic valuation techniques are discussed, as well as the theory of "critical natural capital". A brief history of water quality legislation includes the implementation of the National Water Council classification in 1979, and the statutory water quality objectives introduced under the Water Resources Act 1991.

The EC Water Framework Directive and its implications for the Environment Agency

The bulk of the European Community's water policy legislation was developed between the mid 1970s and the early 1990s. These directives addressed specific substances, sources, uses or processes but caused problems with differing methods definitions and aims. The Water Framework Directive (WFD) aims to resolve the piecemeal approach. The Environemnt Agency (EA) welcomes and supported the overall objective of establishing a coherent legislative framework. The EA has been discussing the implications of the WFD with European partners and has developed a timetable for the implementation and a special team will commission necessary research.

Models in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive - benchmarking as part of the modelling proccess

The Water Framework Directive (WFD; European Commission 2000) is a framework for European environmental legislation that aims at improving water quality by using an integrated approach to implement the necessary societal and technical measures. Assessments to guide, support, monitor and evaluate policies, such as the WFD, require scientific approaches which integrate biophysical and human aspects of ecological systems and their interactions, as outlined by the International Council for Science (2002). These assessments need to be based on sound scientific principles and address the environmental problems in a holistic way. End-users need help to select the most appropriate methods and models. Advice on the selection and use of a wide range of water quality models has been developed within the project Benchmark Models for the Water Framework Directive (BMW). In this article, the authors summarise the role of benchmarking in the modelling process and explain how such an archive of validated models can be used to support the implementation of the WFD.

The microbiological quality of water: the nature of the problem

Improvements in methods for the detection and enumeration of microbes in water, particularly the application of techniques of molecular biology, have highlighted shortcomings in the ”standard methods” for assessing water quality. Higher expectations from the consumer and increased publicity associated with pollution incidents can lead to an uncoupling of the cycle which links methodological development with standard-setting and legislation. The new methodology has also highlighted problems within the water cycle, related to the introduction, growth and metabolism of microbes. A greater understanding of the true diversity of the microbial community and the ability to transmit genetic information within aquatic systems ensures that the subject of this symposium and volume provides an ideal forum to discuss the problems encountered by both researcher and practitioner.