The Water Framework Directive (the Directive) came into force on 22 December 2000 and establishes a new legal framework for the protection, improvement and sustainable use of all water bodies in the environment across Europe. That is, all rivers, canals, lochs, estuaries, wetlands and coastal waters as well as water under the ground.

The main environmental objectives are to protect and improve Scotland’s water environment. This will include preventing deterioration of aquatic ecosystems and, where possible, restoring surface waters and groundwater damaged by pollution, water abstraction, dams and engineering activities to ‘good status’ by 2015.

Environmental

• improved protection and enhancement of the water environment leading to a cleaner and healthier water environment
  
  
• promotion of more efficient uses of water to reduce pressure on the water environment
  
  
• effective and more sustainable water management
  
  
  

Social

• increased opportunities for getting involved
  
  
• and influencing how the water environment is managed
  
  
• improved quality of information available
  
  
• about Scotland ’s water environment and how it is managed
  
  
• safeguards the water environment for sustainable use and enjoyment
  
  
  

Economic

• delivers a proportionate and cost-effective approach to water protection and improvement that will avoid unnecessary administrative and financial burdens being placed on industry and other water users
  
  
• enables the right balance to be struck between social, economic and environmental considerations in setting environmental objectives
  
  
• enhances Scotland ’s overall environmental reputation
  
  

The Directive became law in Scotland during 2003 through the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 (the WEWS Act) which sets out the new arrangements for the protection of the water environment in Scotland.

In particular, the Act:

• defines the water environment and sets out duties for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Ministers;
  
  
• allows for the establishment and characterisation of river basin districts and the preparation of river basin management plans for each river basin district;
  
  
• provides for new controls over activities such as abstraction, impoundment, engineering, point and diffuse source pollution which directly affect the water environment. These controls will be implemented by the Controlled Activities Regulations;
  
  
• states that SEPA will be the operator of these regulatory regimes (except in respect of coastal/marine engineering works and diffuse pollution where the regulator has not yet been identified);
  
  
• states that Advisory Group(s) be formed to assist and advise in the river basin management plan (RBMP) production.
  
  

The Directive relates not only to the standards of water protection but also to how water is managed.

The introduction of a transparent and participative river basin management planning system will provide a framework within which targets, actions, priorities, costs and benefits of environmental change are all taken into account. This will allow environmental needs to be balanced with social and economic needs.

Scotland has been divided into three river basin districts, each of which will have a river basin management plan. Most of Scotland is covered by the Scotland river basin district, while waters shared with England are incorporated into the Solway-Tweed or the Northumbria river basin districts in the south of Scotland.

The first step in basin planning is to characterise the river basin districts. This was completed in 2004 and the reports on Pressures & Impacts and Economic Analysis can be found on our website.

SEPA will consult on how the river basin districts should be divided into sub-basins, within which planning can be undertaken to deliver local objectives.

The Directive recognises that for implementation to be successful, effective public participation and consultation will be essential for securing support and understanding of often complex decisions with long term and economically significant consequences.

SEPA supports the participative and partnership approach to implementation of the Directive and in our work to date, we have sought to work with a wide range of interested bodies and organisations. A number of key subjects have already been informed by public events, formal consultations, stakeholder working groups and meetings to help devise policy development and share information.

We will continue to provide opportunities for participation in the implementation process, particularly in the following areas:

• river basin management planning
  
  
• Scottish monitoring strategy
  
  
• regulatory regimes
  
  

Information and invitations to participate will be made available on our website.

Most minor activities (such as private domestic drinking water abstractions and septic discharges) which do not pose a risk to the water environment will not be subject to charges.

However, a new charging scheme will be introduced on 1 April 2006 which will cover point source discharges to water, abstractions, impoundments and water-related engineering activities.

SEPA will calculate charges to recover its costs. Our regulatory and monitoring costs will be proportionate to the risks posed by an activity.

Detailed charges will be subject to public consultation. Visit our website for further details.

In order to help industry and other water users to prepare for the new regulatory regimes, SEPA will be producing detailed information and guidance and devising a series of workshop sessions which will:

• provide an opportunity for SEPA and water users to discuss the regimes face-to-face
  
  
• provide advice and help with completing application forms
  
  
• ensure that water users are aware of any information SEPA will require from them
  
  

Other sources of guidance and advice can be found on the Links page.