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Chemical and quantitative status of groundwater
The WFD requires Member States to designate separate groundwater bodies and ensure that each one achieves “good chemical and quantitative status”. To meet the aim of good chemical status, hazardous substances should be prevented from entry into groundwater and the entry of all other pollutants (e.g. nitrate) should be limited to prevent pollution.
Good quantitative status is to be achieved by ensuring that the available groundwater resource is not reduced by the long-term annual average rate of abstraction. In addition, impacts on surface water linked with groundwater or groundwater dependent terrestrial ecosystems as well as saline intrusions should be avoided.
Knowledge and information on assessing groundwater status have increased over the first RBMP cycle with the proportion with unknown chemical status and quantitative status decreasing to low levels of 1 %, respectively.
In the EU, 74 % and 89 % of the area of groundwater bodies is in good chemical and quantitative status, respectively. Since the first RBMPs were published, there has been small improvement in groundwater chemical and quantitative status.
Agriculture is the main driver causing failure of good chemical status to EU groundwater, causing diffuse pollution by nitrates and pesticides. Other significant sources are discharges not connected to a sewerage system and contaminated sites or abandoned industrial sites. Nitrate is the main pollutant affecting over 18 % of the area of groundwater bodies. In total 160 pollutants caused failure to achieve good chemical status. Most pollutants were reported in few Member States and only 15 pollutants were reported by five or more Member States.
Water abstraction for public water supply, agriculture and industry is the main significant pressure causing failure of good quantitative status.
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BE-FLA (WV): p. 6, §9 In the EU, 74 % and 89 % of the area of groundwater bodies is in good chemical and quantitative status, respectively. Since the first RBMPs were published, there has been small improvement in groundwater chemical and quantitative status.
% mentioned is “by area”, important to remark that.
BE-FLA (RV): p. 6, §10 Agriculture
Agriculture is the main pressure
(AT) 2nd sentence: Good quantitative status is to be achieved by ensuring that the available groundwater resource is not reduced exceeded by the long-term....
In addition, impacts on surface water linked with groundwater or groundwater dependent terrestrial ecosystems as well as saline intrusions should be avoided. This sentence needs rewording. Please check with the provisions in WFD Annex V.
"To meet the aim of good chemical status, hazardous substances should be prevented from entry into groundwater and the entry of all other pollutants (e.g. nitrate) should be limited to prevent pollution."
The criteria for assessing good chemical status of groundwater is defined in article 3 in the groundwater directive (2006/118/EC). This sentance is referring to article 6 of the GWD and it´s aim is to prevent and limit the inputs of pollutants into groundwater.