1

Environmental Quality Standards of the Water

Framework Directive and the EU approach on water

reuse

Mario Carere

National Institute of Health, Department Environment and Health, Italy, Rome

European Project ITN ANSWER-Fisciano, Italy 5 September 2017

2

WFD

(key

aspects)

To prevent further

deterioration and

protects and enhances

all aquatic ecosystems

To promote sustainable

water use based on a long-

term protection of available

water resources

To achieve good

ecological status for all

waterbodies within 2015

To achieve good

chemical status for all

waterbodies, included

grounwaters within 2015

To apply a combined approch

through emission controls and

setting of EQS for water,

sediment and biota

To reduce and eliminate

emission and discharges of

priority and priority

hazardous substances

WFD-River Basin districts

3

4

Water Framework Directive Classification-Surface Waters

Good Status Surface Waters

Good Ecological Status Good chemical status

Compliance with EQS of Priority

Substances

Compliance with national EQS defined

for the other pollutants

Biological Quality Element

Hydromorphology Chemico-Physical

parameters

5

6

Draft prioritisation methodology presented at the

WG Chem March 2014 Substance List

Persistence Bioaccumulation Toxicity

Production Use Environmental data

Haz

ard

Ex

po

sure

PEC/PNEC ratio

Risk-based Ranking

Risk score >1

Data from MS, RBSP, Databases NORMAN,..

MEC/PNEC ratio

Ecotoxicity in different water fractions (Databases, literature)

>3 MS, same analytical fraction

Haz

ard

Ex

po

sure

Data treatment Quality checks (QA/QC, >98% data>LoD)

EU representativeness Criteria: min frequency >PNEC in >3MS ?

Mean of 90th %

Substance dossiers

EQS derivation

Co

mb

ined

PE

C/P

NE

C

PRIORITIZATION DECISION

40?

substances

Substance Databases: Agencies, NORMAN, other Directives, …

Selection Data gathering

40?

substances

#?

#?

#?

Previous exercise: Short-listed/ ranked highly

Re-evaluate PEC/MEC, #MS and PNEC

- Data 2000-2008

- Surface water

- 26 Member States + CH and NO

- 19 613 stations

- 5 water body types

- 545 387 sampling

- 14 567 816 analysis

- 1 168 substances

Database content (EU commission)

Source: GIS layer : Official WFD Districts

List of priority substances in the field of water policy-PART 1

(* Priority hazardous substances)

Alachlor Anthracene* Atrazine Benzene

Brominated*

Dyphenileters

1,2

Dichloroetane

Dichloromethan

e

DEHP*

Hexachlorobutadiene* Hexachlorocyclo

hexane*

Isoproturon Lead

Octylphenols Pentachlorobenz

ene*

Pentachlorophe

nol

PAH*

Trifluralin* Dicofol* PFOS* Quinoxyfen*

Cypermethrine Dichlorvos HBCDD* Heptachlor*

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List of priority substances in the field of water policy-PART 2

(* Priority hazardous substances)

Cadmium* Chloroalkanes* Chlorfenvinphos Chlorpyrifos

Diuron

Endosulfan*

Fluoranthene

Hexachlorobenzen

e*

Mercury*

Naphtalene

Nickel

Nonylphenols*

Simazine

Tributyltin*

Trichlorobenzenes

Trichloromethane

Dioxins- PCB

DL*

Aclonifen

Bifenox

Cybutryne

Terbutryn

DDT/DDD/DDE

Drins

Tetrachlorometha

ne

Tetrachloroetylene

Trichloroetylene 10

EQS (environmental quality standard)-

WFD definition

The concentration of a particular pollutant or

group of pollutants in water, sediment or biota

which should not be exceeded in order to protect

human health and the environment.

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12

Environmental Quality Standards

• EQS: Annual average (Based mainly on Chronic bioassays)

• EQS: Maximum allowable concentration (Based mainly on acute bioassays)

• Difference between inland waters (rivers, lakes) and other waters (transitional, coastal and territorial).

• Specific dispositions for Metals (bioavailability)

Sostanze SQA-MA

µg/L(acque

interne)

SQA-MA

µg/L (altre

acque)

SQA-MAC

µg/L (acque

interne)

SQA-MAC

µg/L

(altre acque)

SQA-biota

(µg/kg peso

umido)

Dicofol 1,3 x 10 -3 3,2 x 10 -5 Non appl. Non appl. 33

PFOS 6,5 x 10-4 1,3 x 10 -4 36 7,2 9,1

Quinoxifen 0,15 0,015 2,7 0,54

«Dioxins» Non appl. Non appl. 0,008 TEQ

Aclonifen 0,12 0,012 0,12 0,012

Bifenox 0,012 0,0012 0,04 0,004

Cibutrina

(irgarol)

0,0025 0,0025 0,016 0,016

Cipermetrina 8x10-5 8x10-6 6x10-4

6x10-5

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CIS Guidance Document

No. 27 Technical

Guidance for deriving

Environmental Quality

Standards

Downloadable from

https://circabc.europa.eu/fa

ces/jsp/extension/wai/navig

ation/container.jsp

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Protection Objectives Methodology for derivation of specific

quality standard

Pelagic community (inland waters)

Acute and chronic bioassay

Use of assessment factors

(annex V Directive 2000/60/EC)

Pelagic community ( marine waters)

Acute and chronic bioassays

Use of assessment factors/ TGD

Benthic community (inland waters) Equilibrium partitioning method-toxicity data

benthos

Benthic Community (marine waters) Equilibrium partitioning mehod– toxicity data

benthos

Top predators (marine mammals)

Toxicity data-birds diet-use of BCF e BMF

Human Health (consumption of fish products)

Tolerable daily intake- Use of BCF

Human Health (consumption of drinking water)

European Directive 75/440/CE – Drinking water

directive – 98/83/CE

Removal Efficiency

QS-human health drinking waters

Octylphenols (pelagic community) Quality standard µg/L

Pelagic community (inland waters)

0,122 (EQS)

Pelagic community ( marine waters)

0,0122 (EQS)

Benthic community (inland waters) Not applicable

Benthic Community (marine waters) Not applicable

Top predators (marine mammals/birds)

15,8

Human Health (consumption of fish products)

13,7

Human Health (consumption of drinking water)

No standard applied

Biota EQS (directive 2013/39/UE)

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1st Watch List substances

1. 17-Alpha-ethinylestradiol (EE2) (contraceptive pill ingredient)

2. 17-Beta-estradiol (E2) (natural hormone/pharmaceutical), to be monitored with Estrone (E1)

3. Diclofenac (painkiller)

4. 2,6-ditert-butyl-4-methylphenol (industrial chemical-antioxidant)

5. 2-Ethylhexyl 4-methoxycinnamate (uv filter sunscreen)

6. Macrolide antibiotics (Erythromycin, Clarithromycin, Azithromycin)

7. Methiocarb (plant protection product)

8. Neonicotinoid pesticides (Imidacloprid, Thiacloprid, Thiamethoxam, Clothianidin, Acetamiprid) (plant protection products/biocides)

9. Oxadiazon (plant protection product)

10.Tri-allate (plant protection product)

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Watch-list

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Clarithromycin (JRC Report 2014)

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Clarithromycin-reasons for watch-list inclusion

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Ecotoxicological data-Clarithromycin

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PNEC Clarithromycin

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Reuse types and regulated sectors in EUROPE

EU water reuse-Actions

• Development of guidelines on water reuse management • Proposed legislation on water reuse • Further integration of water reuse in relevant BREFs • Support research and innovation • Improve access to funding for reuse projects The European Council conclusions on the Circular Economy Action Plan welcomed enhancing the recycling and reuse of water, in particular the development of a supportive legislative framework respecting the existing high level of protection to human health and the environment. The Council invited he Commission to seek EFSA opinion on this matter.

Recent activity-water reuse legislative proposal (European Commission))

• Mandate for an activity on water reuse (Strategic Coordination Group)-May 2015-AD hoc water reuse group

• Mandate to the JRC for the water reuse minimum quality requirements (2016)

• First general guidance published (June 2016)

• Opinions of Scheer and EFSA available (June 2017)

• Final Meeting: 23 June 2017

Guidance Introduction

• This guidance begins by outlining how water reuse can contribute to WFD and other EU policy objectives. It then sets out some definitions to aid the interpretation of this guidance document.

• It goes on to explore the potential environmental, economic and social

benefits and drawbacks of water reuse.

• The guidance continues with a detailed examination of the requirements of EU law to ensure water reuse schemes are compliant with that law. Steps for the planning of water reuse are described and, in particular, how protection of public health is to be ensured.

• The guidance ends with sections on communication and engagement of the public and other stakeholders and on the funding of water reuse schemes.

Minimum Quality requirements for water reuse in agricultural irrigation and aquifer recharge

JRC coordination with DG ENV

JRC activity-minimum quality requirements

• Overview of the differences in risk management framework: health risk assessment methodologies (water safety plans approach of the WHO) and the USEPA approach (precautionary principle).

• The proposal considers treatment but also preventive measures, the number of barriers for specific preventive measures and log reduction removal for specific microbiological parameters are presented.

• The second draft does not cover contaminants of emerging concerns and use of bioassays. However this does not mean that these issues are excluded but rather that they will be addressed in a future iteration of the technical proposal.

Physico-chemical parameters

• The parameters included in the Directive 2013/39/EU (EQSD) on priority substances and other pollutants have to be complied by the reclaimed water used for agricultural irrigation.

• Total suspended solids (TSS): this parameter indicates secondary treatment effectiveness and it is also related with filtration and disinfection efficacy

• Turbidity: this parameter is used to indicate filtration effectiveness and suitability for disinfection

• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD5): indication of secondary treatment effectiveness and potential for bacterial regrowth

Environmental risk assessment

• An environmental risk assessment has to be carried out in order to assure that the use of reclaimed water for agricultural irrigation has no adverse effects on environmental matrices (e.g. soil, groundwater, surface water) and that it is in compliance with the related EU directives for environmental protection.

• Regulatory requirements of related EU Directives for environmental protection have to be always fulfilled. MS should ensure that the introduction of water reuse schemes does not compromise the objectives specified by the related EU Directives, such as the Directive 2000/60/EC (Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the EQS of the Directive 2013/39/UE

SEITE 41

Mixtures?

Compounds not monitored?

5.00 10.00 15.00 20.00 25.00 30.00 35.000

500000

1000000

1500000

2000000

2500000

3000000

3500000

4000000

4500000

5000000

5500000

6000000

6500000

7000000

7500000

8000000

8500000

9000000

9500000

1e+07

Time-->

Abundance

TIC: WER046.D

thousands of

compounds in

environmental samples

few compounds

in monitoring e.g.

48 priority

pollutants (WFD)

Scientific Background

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Wernersson Ann-Sofie; Carere Mario, et al. (2015): The

European technical report on aquatic effect-based monitoring

tools under the water framework directive. Environmental

Sciences Europe, 2015; 27 (1) DOI: 10.1186/s12302-015-0039-

4. http://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdf

Press release at:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150313083449.ht

m

http://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.enveurope.com/content/pdf/s12302-015-0039-4.pdfhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150313083449.htmhttp://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150313083449.htm

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Publications and links of Interest

• http://circabc.europa.eu

(documents water

framework directive).

• http://water.europa.eu/

(wise-water information

system for europe).

• http://ec.europa.eu/enviro

nment/water/index_en.ht

m (website of DG

Environment)

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http://water.europa.eu/http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/index_en.htmhttp://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/index_en.htm

Thank You mcarere@iss.it www.iss.it

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orbetello lagoon-tuscany/central italy

http://www.iss.it/