Wednesday 10 January 2007

Water Resources in Greece & EU Water Framework Directive 2000/60

Water Resources in Greece

Hydrological conditions in Greece are characterized by a considerable variability in space and time.
§ The mean annual rainfall ranges usually from 1200 to 400 mm. There is a general reduction from West to East and from North to South
§ There are about 250 river basins
§ Only 13 rivers have a minimum summer discharge capacity over 3 m3/sec. Six of them are trans-boundary rivers in the northern part of the country
§ The main lakes are formed in the mountainous and semi-mountainous zones of the continental part of the country. Generally they are not deeper than 50 m and they cover surfaces less than 100 Km2
§ The hydro geological structure in Greece is very complicated. The main aquifers are developed in sedimentary rocks (sands, gravels, karstic limestones etc)
The main authorities holding networks for quantity and quality observations are the:
• Ministry of Agriculture
• Ministry for the Environment and Public Works
• Public Power Corporation
• Hellenic National Meteorological Service
• Institute for Geological and Mining Research
The existing meteorological stations are more than 1000 and the hydrometric stations are about 170. There are also 650 observatory wells. The quality network reaches the 1000 observation points. The above mentioned authorities created at 1996 a National Data Base in which all the collected data are stored.
- The mean annual water potential in Greece is about 70 x 109 m3 and the total annual water use is estimated to reach about 8, 7 x 109 m3
- At this time 198.000 production wells and 65 dams are in operation
- The water use in agriculture attains 83-85 % whereas the domestic use is only 10-12 % (industrial use = 2%)
- The total irrigated area attain 1,32 x 106 ha
- The irrigated area which is managed by the 10 General and the 442 Local Land Reclamation Boards reaches 0,52 x 106 ha (40%) whereas the area irrigated by private irrigation projects (usually production wells) amounts to 0,8 x 106 ha (60%).

Law 1739 (1987)
Main problems:
§ Greece separated into water regions
§ 153 legislatives never existed!
§ economic problems
§ problems between the ministries (who is responsible?)
§ based on the regions divided 14 ‘water sections’ were introduced
§ in total, Greece has around 250 water basins

New Law (2003) based on the directive 2000/60 EU
Main problem is that the new directive considers as a management base the watershed
&
Not the entire EU directive is considered

Additionally, in Greece already:
a) Everything is being decided by regions (regions #watersheds)
b) Water from a watershed is being transferred to another (e.g.. Water in Athens comes from West-Central Greece)

In Greece, because of economic difficulties in the 70s there are only few surface water reservoirs constructed: 65 in total.
There are:
3 dams & 1 natural water reservoir for the needs of the capital Athens
16 reservoirs for producing hydroelectric energy
4 dams constructed by the Ministry of Environment & Public works
42 reservoirs (dams & water tanks) constructed by the Ministry of Agriculture
A lot of underground water resources exploitation has resulted in the intrusion of saline water & in the pollution of water by agrochemicals

Hydrographic Network
Rivers:
1. Aliakmonas 297m
2. Acheloos 220m
3. Pineios 205m
4. Evros 204m*
5. Nestos 130m*
6. Strimonas 118m*
7. Kalamas 115m
8. Alfeios 110m
9. Araxthos 110m
10. Eyrotas 82m
(*length in Greek territory)
Lakes:
1. Trixonida 96,5km2
2. Volvi 75,6km2
3. Vegoritida 72,5km2
4. Lagada 47,9km2
5. Vistonida 45,6km2
6. Small Prespa 43,1km2*
7. Large Prespa 38,3km2*
8. Kastorias 28,5km2
9. Iliki 22,7km2
10. Pamvotida 19,1km2
(*surface in Greek territory)

Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)
European Commission
http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/environment/water

On 23 October 2000 the
“Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, establishing a framework for the Community action in the field of water policy” or short
EU Water Framework Directive

Key Facts about the Global Water Situation
§ Less than 1% of the planet's water is available for human consumption
§ More than 1.2 billion people have no access to save drinking water
Key Facts about the European Water Situation
§ 20% of all surface water in the European Union is seriously threatened with pollution
§ Groundwater supplies around 65% of all Europe's drinking water
§ 60% of European cities overexploit their groundwater resources
§ 50% of wetlands have "endangered status" due to groundwater over-exploitation
§ The area of irrigated land in Southern Europe has increased by 20% since 1985

The Water Framework Directive expands the scope of water protection to all waters and sets a clear objectives that "good status" must be achieved for all European waters by 2015 and that sustainable water use is ensured throughout Europe*.
(*Member States & Candidate Countries)

Water is not a commercial product, it is a fragile resource
and should be seen as a heritage

First phase of water legislation (1975 & 1980)
§ Drinking Water– fish, shellfish & bathing water – Groundwater
Second phase of water legislation (1991)
§ Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (about biological waste water treatment)
§ Nitrates Directive (water pollution by nitrates from agriculture)
1996: Directive for Integrated Pollution and Prevention Control (pollution from large industrial installations)
1998: Drinking Water Directive (review quality standards)
The Framework Directive:
• Protects all waters - rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and ground waters
• Sets up a system of management within river basins that recognizes that water systems do not stop at political borders
• Requires cross border co-operation between countries and all involved parties
• Ensures active participation of all stakeholders, including NGOs and local communities, in water management activities
• Ensures reduction and control of pollution from all sources like agriculture, industrial activity, and urban areas, etc.
• Requires water pricing policies and ensures that the polluter pays
• Balances the interests of the environment with those who depend on it

Directive contains: 26 Articles
1 Purpose
2 Definitions
3 Coordination of administrative arrangements within river basin districts
4 Environmental objectives
5 Characteristics of the river basin district, review of the environmental impact of human activity and economic analysis of water use
6 Register of protected areas
7 Waters used for the abstraction of drinking water
8 Monitoring of surface water status, groundwater status and protected areas
9 Recovery of costs for water services
10 The combined approach for point and diffuse sources
11 Programme of measures
12 Issues which can not be dealt with at Member State level
13 River basin management plans
14 Public information and consultation
15 Reporting
16 Strategies against pollution of water
17 Strategies to prevent and control pollution of groundwater
18 Commission report
19 Plans for future Community measures
20 Technical adaptations to the Directive
21 Regulatory committee
22 Repeals and transitional provisions
23 Penalties
24 Implementation
25 Entry into force
26 Addressees

ANNEX
I INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR THE LIST OF COMPETENT AUTHORITIES
II SURFACE WATERS & GROUNDWATERS
III ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
IV PROTECTED AREAS
V SURFACE WATER & GROUNDWATER STATUS
VI LISTS OF MEASURES TO BE INCLUDED WITHIN THE PROGRAMMES OF MEASURES
VII RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLANS
VIII INDICATIVE LIST OF THE MAIN POLLUTANTS
IX EMISSION LIMIT VALUES AND ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY STANDARDS
X PRIORITY SUBSTANCES
XI MAPS
Important deadlines of the Directive:
• 2003
National and regional water laws to be adapted to the Water Framework Directive River Basin co-operation to be made operational
• 2004
An analysis of pressures and impacts on our waters to be completed including an economic analysis
• 2006
Monitoring programmes to be operational as a basis for water management
• 2008
River Basin Management plans to be presented to the public
• 2009
First River Basin Management Plans to be published
• 2010
Introduce pricing policies
• 2012
Operational programmes of measures
• 2015
Waters to meet "good status“
• 2021
First management cycle ends
• 2027
Second management cycle ends

1 comment:

Diogo said...

Dear Christina,

Very interesting blog. My name is Diogo Thomaz, I'm Portuguese but live in Greece now for 12 years (so, almost Greek). I have a company in Portugal that promotes business between Portuguese and Greek organizations. One of them is related to water treatment, sewage treatment and rubish collection and processing. They are experts in areas such as using muds from sewage treatment plants in order to produce energy and other renewable energy sources. They asked me to get information about the national and regional frameworks that define how these areas operate in Greece. Which ministries are involved, which are the roles of local and regional governments etc. Could you guide me by pointing some links that have this type of information? From your blog you appear to be quite informed about these matters...

Thanks and regards,

Diogo