Significant Water Management Issues (SWMI) Report – Draft Template

1. Significant Water Management Issues (SWMI) Report – Draft Template South Eastern PSC Dec 2006

2. SWMI – What is it? • Public information and consultation report to encourage active involvement of all interested parties in the Water Framework Directive • Article 14 – interim overview of the significant water management issues in the river basin, made available for public and users comment, 2 years before the beginning of the river basin management plan • A “local” document • Timescale - publish 22 June 2007

3. SWMI - What is it? • SWMI = Significant Water Management Issues • Significant Water Issues • Management Issues • How to identify priorities and focus efforts for the first river basin management plan?

4. Significant Water Issues • Significant water issues: • Article 5 analysis – POMS studies scoping • OSPAR nutrient quantification • National reports • Historical catchment plans & water quality reports • P Reg plans etc • Compendium of responses/stakeholder responses • Expert review • RBD groups (3 issues & good practice examples?)

5. Management Issues • Management issues: • What management tools are already in place? • Where are the management gaps? • What are the solutions?

6. SWMI Template Documents Reviewed • UK TAG template • Welsh Office RBMP guidance • SEPA contents & draft chapters • EA draft document • Schedlt document • French document

7. SWMI Template Consultations • SWAN workshop • UK TAG River Basin Management Group • DEHLG • EHS (DoE NI) • POMS CG - RBD co-ordinators/managers, EPA, GSI, NPWS • NTCG • NS Share Steering Group • RBDACs (workshop) • NI stakeholders forum • Working Group on Water Quality • NCG • Interagency Group • RDD groups - Advisory Councils/steering/management/public authorities

8. SWMI Template Length between 30 and 40 pages How many issues 9 or 10 Language Plain English (non technical) Use of question and answer format to aid input Style Well illustrated Hardcopy vs electronic Hard copy - alternative formats & translations

9. SWMI Template Ownership of the Report RoI RBD lead authorities - POMS CG - NTCG Consultation link to RBDAC RBD report vs National report RBD report gives local ownership & leads to draft plan • 8 RBD reports – full harmonisation However as the main RoI POMS studies are national: • Much of the content is generic • Each project will input to every SWMI Requires close co-ordination

10. SWMI Template Chapter Headings 1.0 Introduction 2.0 Assessment of Pressures and Impacts 3.0 Significant Water Management Issues 4.0 Measures 5.0 Next Steps and Conclusions Timescale • publish 22 June 2007

11. SWMI Group Discussion Three discussion groups (1, 2, 3) Project team to record agreed issues for feedback session Water Issues What issues are the most significant? What do you see as the main causes of these problems? Management Issues What are the management gaps? Is there ownership of local problems? What activities might help to deliver improvements? Other Input from Stakeholders Identify good practice examples in the SERBD?

12. SWMI RBMG Discussion Water Issues • Planning and landuse change • Agriculture & changes (eg biofuels) • Point discharges/sludge spreading/tertiary treatment • Rural housing/septic tanks • Climate change (flooding & droughts) • Combined system overflows • Dredging of channels/culverts/weir • Alien species/biodiversity • Forestry • Abstractions • Domestic behaviour – consumption & product usage

13. SWMI RBDAC Discussion Water Issues • Planning and landuse change • Agriculture & changes (eg biofuels) • Point discharges – WWTP, WTP, industries, landfills, mines & quarries • Dumping • Rural housing/septic tanks • Climate change (flooding & droughts) • Weirs & boats movements • Alien species/biodiversity • Abstractions – protection of sources/water shortages • Domestic behaviour – consumption & product usage • Road & urban drainage & loss of flood plains

14. SWMI RBMG Discussion Management Issues • Need for joined up development control • Lack of resources • Economics - charging • Political will • Need for education & awareness campaigns • Improved enforcement – continuity of personnel • Availability of emergency numbers • Agricultural measures - Nitrates directive & CAP reform • GWPS • Riparian zones

15. SWMI RBDAC Discussion Management Issues • Joined up development control – plan & upgrade before development • Lack of resources • Economics – charging • Lack of ownership of the problems • Education & awareness campaigns • Enforcement – use of power • Support for NGO initiatives • Nitrates Regs • Riparian zone protection • Water harvesting & alternative treatments

16. SWMI RBMG Discussion Other Input from Stakeholders • Inland waterways (Barrow Valley) – schools competition • Harvesting rainwater for non-consumption uses – Kilkenny pilot

17. SWMI RBDAC Discussion Other Input from Stakeholders • Several litter picking initiatives • Barrow floodplains • Quarry silt ponds (not increased) • Fair trade advertising • SUDS schemes on new developments • Constructed wetlands

18. SERBD SWMI POMS – National Issues

19. SERBD SWMI SE RBMG – previous discussion topics • Coastwatch Ireland – demonstration projects (biodiversity survey & alien species) • SWAN – article 5 feedback (communication programmes) • Coillte – risk analysis (forests and waters) • South Tipperary – Suir implementation group (LA best practices) • Waterways Ireland – Barrow Navigation (HMWB) • *Teagasc – WFD and CAP interaction (agriculture)

20. SERBD SWMI Collation of Issues • Comparison with National priorities • Comparison with SE discussion topics • Comparison of SE RBMG & RBDAC identified issues • Further discussions with represented groups • Collation of issues – 15 January • Issues may form discussion topics for future meetings