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THE STATE OF SCOTLAND'S FARMED ENVIRONMENT 2005

15. THE WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE

Aim

The objectives of the WFD are:

  • To prevent deterioration of water body status
  • To protect, enhance and restore water bodies with the aim of achieving good status in 2015
  • To progressively reduce pollution of water bodies from priority substances and to cease or phase out emissions, discharges and losses of priority hazardous substances.

The purpose of the WEWS act includes (SEERAD, 2005a):

  • prevent deterioration in the status of surface water bodies and wetlands that depend on them;
  • protect, enhance and restore all bodies of surface water and wetlands that depend on them with the aim of achieving good surface water status by 2015;
  • prevent deterioration of the status of groundwater bodies and wetlands directly dependant on groundwater bodies;
  • protect, enhance and restore all bodies of groundwater bodies and wetlands directly dependant on groundwater bodies with the aim of achieving good groundwater status by 2015;
  • prevent or limit the input of pollutants to groundwater and reverse any significant and sustained upward trend in the concentration of pollutants in groundwater;
  • comply with European wide measures against priority and priority hazardous substances; and
  • achieve compliance with any relevant standards and objectives for protected areas

Water Framework Directive - Implementation >>