Catchment News

Informed by pilot projects from the 1990s and through extensive research carried out since 2003, local authorities have developed this plan to provide an objective scientific approach to meeting the required water standards. In preparing the plan all known pressures on waters have been identified and quantified at the level of individual water bodies. Measures to address the pressures have been examined and the likelihood of water quality recovery has been assessed.

All public bodies and other stakeholders have been consulted extensively in the process. The plan targets are ambitious yet they are no more than we are obliged to do under current EU and National legislation. Further legislative change may be required to control specific activities. Responsibility for taking measures lies with all public bodies whose activities impact on water quality or who regulate such activities. Local authorities must perform their own activities in a way that will promote achievement of objectives and additionally must carry out a range of environmental monitoring and enforcement activities to ensure that other stakeholders’ actions will lead to water quality improvements.