The Water Framework Directive is changing the way Scotland’s water environment is managed and monitored and requires SEPA, along with the other environment agencies in the UK, to look at the water environment as a whole.

This means moving away from pollution focussed monitoring to assessing the health of the aquatic environment overall; integrating factors such as quality, quantity and physical structure with ecological indicators.  The health of animals and plants that live in waters will now be among the main indicators of the state of water bodies.

The UK Technical Advisory Group (UKTAG) is responsible for developing UK approaches to WFD implementation and, on behalf of the UK environment agencies, are developing the environmental standards and conditions to support delivery of the Directive.

UKTAG is now seeking comments on the scientific principles underpinning the second phase of environmental standards.  Specifically, the three technical reports on:

• environmental standards for specific pollutants;
• a groundwater classification framework (quality/quantity); and
• the remaining surface water standards and conditions (including marine morphology).

If you would like to comment, please visit www.wfduk.org./stakeholder_reviews/.

For further information, please refer to the Frequently Asked Questions.