Catchment News

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) was adopted in 2000; it requires governments to take a new approach to managing all their waters: rivers, lakes, groundwater, estuaries and coastal waters. Member States must ensure that their waters achieve at least good status by 2015.

To achieve good status it will be necessary to prepare and implement management plans for our waters.

While work on the Directive requires a considerable amount of technical expertise, it also requires the knowledge, understanding and views of people who use water in their everyday lives, whether they’re drinking it, fishing, feeding cattle with it, swimming in it, using it in manufacturing or even just walking the dog beside it. The users know their water and what condition it is in, so they can check what the scientists have found so far.

The Directive is not just about the environment; an economic analysis of water uses is an essential part of the process.

These booklets list the main uses and activities that may be affected by the management plans. Again, users’ knowledge and understanding can help ensure that all the implications for people and the economy are considered.