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Water quality

The Water Framework Directive (WFD) is the most substantial piece of EC water legislation to date. It requires all inland and coastal waters to reach 'good status' (in relation to chemical and ecological quality) by 2015. The framework establishes a river basin district structure within which environmental objectives are set, including ecological targets for surface waters.

The WFD will have implications for spatial planning and development decisions. Development can contribute to an improved water environment, but can also have an adverse impact. Spatial planning bodies will be helping to achieve the WFD by assessing new developments (e.g. new buildings) against available water resources, existing capacity for sewage treatment or the potential enviromental impact that discharges of treated effluent might have on receiving water bodies.

Related terms:

• Eco-efficiency
• Ecology
• Life cycle assessment (LCA )
• Pollution
• Resource depletion
• Waste triangle - reduce, reuse, recycle
• Zero carbon/waste/Water