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Measures to reduce impact of over abstractions
In the past, European water management has largely focused on increasing supply by drilling new wells, constructing dams and reservoirs, desalination, large-scale water-transfer infrastructures, etc. However, as Europe cannot endlessly increase water supply. Demand measures could include the use of economic instruments; water loss controls; water-reuse and recycling; increased efficiency of domestic, agricultural and industrial water use; and water-saving campaigns supported by public education programs. Water savings will bring additional benefits, for example by reducing pollution discharges and energy consumption.
Water efficiency — wasting less water and increasing the productivity per volume — is essential for building resilience into our systems and adapting to climate change. Water efficiency is an economic and environmental opportunity that serves sectors and functions that use water, helps economic growth and at the same time safeguards the environment. To realise a boost in water efficiency, both technological development and improved governance for water is needed, together with monitoring methodologies such as 'environmental accounting'.
The WFD obliges Member States to implement water-pricing policies that provide adequate incentives to use water resources efficiently. Water pricing and metering together with water saving measures have been highly effective in changing consumer behavior in many countries (Text box).
Text Box: Pricing and non-pricing measures for managing water demand in Europe [20]
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Based on a study of a set of case studies it was found that European Union water policies encourage Member States to implement better management practices. Notably, water pricing policies (levies or tariffs on water use, for example) in combination with other measures, like encouraging the use of water saving devices on shower heads or taps, or education and awareness campaigns. A mix of the two has been used across Europe with varied results. The assessment concludes that national and local water management strategies should focus on designing the most effective combination to get the best results in reducing household water consumption and improving efficient use. The demand for water continues to increase, especially for domestic consumption. Increased intensity and frequency of droughts and water scarcity were identified as the key challenges for five (Cyprus, France, Italy, Romania, and Spain) of the eight countries studied. Overexploitation of groundwater resources was also cited, as demand for water rises not only for residential and tourist sectors but also others like industry and agriculture. |
Various practices can be implemented to ensure that agriculture uses water more efficiently. These include changing the timing of irrigation so that it closely follows crop water requirements, adopting more efficient techniques such as sprinkler and drip irrigation systems, and implementing the practice of deficit irrigation; an optimization strategy in which irrigation is applied during drought-sensitive growth stages of a crop.
Leakage of water from supply systems in parts of Europe is substantial, and countries face major challenges in the construction and maintenance of water-related infrastructure. Investing in detection and repairing leaks is important.
Additional water supply infrastructures — such as water storage, water transfers or use of alternative sources — may be considered when other demand options have been exhausted. Water reuse can have two important benefits: It effectively increases the available water resources and it minimizes wastewater outflow. Treated wastewater is currently reused in some southern European countries, primarily for irrigation — crop cultivation, public gardens, parks and golf courses.
Drought management is an essential element of water resource policy and strategies. Drought Management Plans (DMP), based on the characterization of possible droughts in a basin, their effect, and possible mitigation measures, should be prepared on a river basin scale and before emergency schemes have to be applied. DMPs, by promoting sustainable water use, are closely linked with the WFD objectives.
Land management and land-use planning are essential to the management of water resources in water-scarce areas. Important wetlands, which help to store water, have been drained throughout Europe. One priority should be to retain rainwater where it falls, enabling water infiltration, through the re-establishment of wetlands and increased recharge of aquifers.
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In reference to: " Over exploitation of groundwater resources was also cited, as demand for water rises not only for residential and tourist sectors but also others like industry and agriculture."
A recent study (2016-2017) on water management in the aggregates sites by the European Aggregates Association (UEPG) is showing that the impact of aggregates extraction sites on the quantitative status of surface water and ground water is negligible. All the water abstractions in quarries are subject to a permit granted by river basin management bodies.
Moreover, a vast majority of aggregates sites with washing processes have in place water recycling circuits and systems with very high efficiency rates minimising water consumption. Water is reused in a closed circuit and clarified before discharged (50% of aggregates sites do not make any discharge).
According with the conclusions of that study, the demand for water is decreasing thanks to water efficiency policies and techniques.
It is necessary to clearly define what is meant by industry, heavy industry or mining in the report, to distinguish mining from quarrying, to avoid any mistake by an extensive interpretation to the entire extractive industry, as the nature of their activities and the properties of extracted materials are very different.
In reference to the paragraph starting with: "Water efficiency — wasting less water and increasing the productivity per volume (...) " .
A recent study (2016-2017) on water management in the aggregates sites by the European Aggregates Association UEPG is showing that this industry is making a relevant progress in water efficiency. The water consumption by ton of aggregates produced is quite low. The same occurs with most of the quarries for industrial minerals and rocks. All the water abstractions in quarries are subject to a permit granted by river basin management bodies. And a huge majority of aggregates sites with washing processes have in place water recycling circuits and systems with very high efficiency rates minimising water consumption. Water is reused in close circuit and clarified before discharged (50% of aggregates sites do not make any discharge). UEPG has created in 2009 a Water Management Task Force to raise technological development within the industry, as well as governance.
So when a mention to the heavy industry or to mining is made, this should be better defined to avoid any mistake by an extensive interpretation to the whole industry and the whole extractive sector.
In reference to the paragraph starting with: "In the past, European water management has largely focused on increasing supply (...)"
A recent study (2016-2017) on water management in the aggregates sites by the European Aggregates Association (UEPG) is showing that the impact of aggregates extraction sites on the quantitative status of surface water and ground water is negligible. All the water abstractions in quarries are subject to a permit granted by river basin management bodies. Moreover, a vast majority of aggregates sites with washing processes have in place water recycling circuits and systems with very high efficiency rates minimising water consumption. Water is reused in a closed circuit and clarified before discharged (50% of aggregates sites do not make any discharge).
According with the conclusions of that study, the demand for water is decreasing thanks to water efficiency policies and techniques.
In countries with water scarcity problems the use of water is very effcient in the aggregates sector.
BE-FLA (RV): p.71 Leakage of water from supply systems in parts of Europe is substantial, and
There exist figures on leakages.
"The WFD obliges Member States to implement water-pricing policies that provide adequate incentives to use water resources efficiently. Water pricing and metering together with water saving measures have been highly effective in changing consumer behavior in many countries (Text box)."
It would be important to add that this instrument applies for water services; according to ECJ, agriculture and water supply/waste water management only.
(AT) Text box: The demand for water continues to increase, especially for domestic consumption
As a fact of growing population? (av. Daily water consumption per inhabitant decreases e.g. in AT)
SK:
The material in question does not include a section specifically concerning the economy (economic analysis). The reference is only in subchapter 6.3 and very marginally in subchapter 6.5.
Subchapter 6.3 under the heading "Measures to reduce the impact of over abstractions" states that, at the time of increasing water supply requirements, along with other measures economic instruments contributing to the efficient use of water should be used (WFD Article 9 requires EU Member States to implement a pricing policy in the area of water, which provides reasonable incentives to ensure efficient water use). The paper states that water pricing policy and water metering, along with various water-saving measures, have proven to be highly effective in many countries and have had an impact on the change in behaviour of water consumers (there is a reference to eight countries but Slovakia is not included).
Slovakia has a water valuation policy based on measured water for decades. On the other hand, it has been confirmed that the increase in water prices in previous years is an effective economic tool that has led to a significant drop in water consumption, but per capita consumption of water per day has fallen to a hygienic minimum (household water consumption in 2015 was 77.3 litre per inhabitant per day), so there is no wish for further reduction in consumption.
Despite the fact that Slovakia does not suffer on water scarcity due to the rich water resources available, the droughts are obviously already present also in Slovakia and it will be necessary to count on their even more frequent occurrence in future - which is likely to have to be reflected in the pricing policy, and also in combining it with other water efficient tools (e.g. reducing water losses, wider use of water saving devices, reconstruction of obsolete irrigation facilities in agriculture, energy-saving ways of irrigating crops, etc.).
We recommend to add the text to the relevant part of the chapter in the sense that in the context of climate change appearance the intensive use of economic instruments and their combination with other instruments in the future will also concern those countries that are not currently experiencing the water scarcity.