Measures for clean and healthy water

The Water Framework Directive (WFD)

In Europe, directives have been drawn up to improve the quality of surface water and groundwater. This is laid down in the Water Framework Directive (WFD). This European directive has been translated into targets and agreements in the Netherlands. These are set out in the Water Act.

region 15 water bodies in our region that must meet the standards for what is known as 'good ecological potential'. In all cases, these are heavily modified or artificial waters. We have set targets for these water bodies in terms of the quality we are striving for. This depends on the type of water. Different requirements apply to water in a stream than to a canal or lake.

Measures for improved chemical and ecological quality

We are taking various measures to achieve these goals. For example, we are constructing fish passages and want to create more nature-friendly banks. We are also trying to reduce nitrogen and phosphate in the water. These are nutrients that promote the growth of algae and other fungi, among other things. So we are working on both the chemical and ecological water quality.

• We investigate the chemical status by measuring region presence of harmful (nutrient) substances and crop protection products at fixed points in the region .
• The ecological condition is assessed by looking at the presence of plants, fish, aquatic insects, algae, and other small organisms.

This allows us to determine not only the current situation, but also to gain insight into the effects of measures taken and whether the objectives have already been achieved.

Water quality in our management area has already improved significantly over the past ten years. In terms of chemistry, the target has been achieved in many places. In some places, harmful substances can still cause problems. The picture is also more positive for ecology, although it lags somewhat behind the chemical quality of the water. This is not surprising, as one of the requirements for good ecology is good chemical water quality.

New planning period until 2027

The WFD has been in existence since 2000. Every six years, we propose new or additional measures to achieve the objectives. The third and final period runs from 2022 to 2027. We are currently drawing up plans for this and are in consultation with our stakeholders.

Brochures Water Framework Directive

We are working in many different ways to ensure clean and healthy water. Would you like to know more about what we have already done to ensure clean water in nature, agriculture, recreation, and the relationship with wastewater? And what we still want to do?

• Water Framework Directive in broad terms.pdf
• Water Framework Directive and nature.pdf
• Water Framework Directive and agriculture.pdf
• Water Framework Directive and recreation.pdf
• Water Framework Directive and Wastewater.pdf

When water becomes polluted

Water can become polluted for a variety of reasons. By blue-green algae, oil, contaminated firefighting water, firefighting water contaminated with asbestos, sewage, industrial wastewater, chemicals, crop protection products, or by solids that break down in the water.

Consequences of pollution

• Bacteria in the water break down most pollutants. The bacteria use oxygen from the water to do this. This leaves too little oxygen in the water. Too little oxygen can cause fish and other small aquatic animals to die. This happens mainly in the summer. Relatively warm water of around 18 to 25 degrees can naturally only absorb a small amount of oxygen. Surface water is therefore vulnerable during warm periods.
• Toxic chemicals poison the water, resulting in death.
• A layer of oil seals off the water surface from the air, preventing the water from absorbing oxygen from the air. Oil residues sink to the bottom of the water, contaminating it. The disposal of the sludge during future dredging can cause problems. Oil is harmful to aquatic life.
• Asbestos released when discharging firefighting water sinks to the bottom. It does not affect water quality, but it does mean that the dredged sludge cannot be deposited on adjacent plots at a later stage. When the dredged sludge dries out, asbestos can be released again and contaminate the surrounding area.

Cleaning up pollution

We can clean up a number of substances, such as oil, asbestos, and solids. Other substances dissolve in water and can no longer be removed.

• Nature solves many problems itself and can break down certain substances. Flushing and supplying fresh water is a good solution if the pollution cannot be removed. We dilute the pollution, as it were. 
• Toxic substances and crop protection products that have been discharged into a watercourse often be isolated using earth dams. When a discharge occurs in a smaller area, the best solution is to transport the contaminated water to a treatment facility. This is not possible when the discharge watercourse in a large watercourse . In such cases, the toxic substances often remain in the environment for a long time and have a harmful effect on the ecological condition of the surface water.
• We tackle oil pollution by placing a round floating tube on the water. At the bottom, there is a weighted plastic flap that hangs vertically in the water to a depth of approximately 30 cm. The floating oil cannot pass through this screen. We can then suck up and dispose of this oil.