The Amendment of the Water Act 1959 adopted before summer came into force on 22 Dec. and incorporates the specifications of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) into Austrian national law.
Central element of the “new” water law is the compilation, evaluation, and development of water management planning in the framework of so-called “National Water Management Plans” (NWMPs). The Life Ministry has to complete the NWMPs by 22 Dec. 2009 at the latest and to publish them on the Internet.
The WFD aims at an integrated protection of all aquatic environments of the continent, a management of river basins, an obligation of improvement to safeguard at least a “good ecological status” of all waters in connection with a prohibition of deterioration. Furthermore, the public has to be involved.
The aims of this European body of legislation are to be reached by 22 December 2015, unless the NWMPs do not provide for a gradual implementation until 2021 and 2027 respectively.
The Amendment of the Water Act incorporates these specifications by the following points in particular:
Setting of environmental objectives to ensure a good ecological and chemical status of surface waters, or rather a good chemical and quantitative status of groundwater
Setting of time limits for achieving the objectives
Outlawing of any deterioration, which however would ban any human interference with water bodies. Like the WFD, the amendment will provide for a deviation from environmental objectives in order to allow a sustainable use of water bodies. However, such deviations are only possible when projects would downgrade environmental objectives hydro-morphologically or by pollution from “very good” to “good”
Classification of surface water bodies as “heavily modified“ or “artificial”. Water bodies thus classified will have to reach a “good ecological potential” instead of a “good ecological status”
Creation of a standardised water management data pool (WISA, Water Information System Austria)
Creation of administrative prerequisites for the adoption and implementation of management plans and measures programmes and for the elaboration of a monitoring system. (Source: aqua press Int. 1/2004)
