Groundwater Governance in Denmark Experiences and recommendations

Transcription

1 Groundwater Governance in Denmark Experiences and recommendations Lisbeth Flindt Jørgensen Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland Danish Water Forum

2 Net precipitation - mm/year Setting the scene: 43,000 km mill. people A cultural landscape: -10% nature - 10% woods -6% towns -60% agriculture farms Groundwater for all water uses 100%

3 Groundwater is all over! 40% - present and future needs ~ 400 GW bodies -3 levels

4 Drinking water abstraction - decentralized 2,500 plants ~75,000 private wells mill. m 3 /year Domestic use appr. 2/3

5 From groundwater to drinking water - simple water treatment Water supply plant Water tank Customers Well Aeration Filtration Flush water

6 Danish water consumption A 30% reduction since the late 1980s from 101 to 70 m 3 per person/year Copenhagen 2012 domestic use: 105 l/day/person; 100 l in 2017

7 Pricing and water use Source: IWA 2012: International Statistics for Water Services 7,5 DKK = 1 15 EEK = 1 > 6 / m 3 < 1 / m 3

8 Structure of Danish groundwater services Ministry of the Environment and its Nature Agency is responsible for the overall planning, mapping and monitoring as well as legislation, guidances documents etc Regions take care of remediation of contaminated sites ( sins of the past ) 98 municipalities are responsible for water supply strategies and licensing as well as waste water treatment Water supply companies (around 2,500) take care of water extraction and drinking water supply The Ministry of the Environment co-operates with private consulting companies on groundwater mapping The Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland performs scientific research and development (with other research institutes, NGO s, private companies etc) and maintains databases

9 Information, consultation or involvement Implementing the Water Framework Directive in Denmark Ministries new laws and guidances 2004 and forward Characterisation and analysis 2006 Public hearing Idea phase 2007 River Basin Management Plans: Preliminary hearing authorities Jan-March 2010 Public hearing Oct April 2011 New public hearing Dec 2011 (appeal) New public hearing spring 2013 Programme of measures end 2013 (municipalities) Threshold (Groundwater Directive) derived in co-operation with GEUS and others, based on national and international research projects A perfect world? well.

10 Challenges: Quality issues Pesticides Nitrate

11 Sustainable abstraction? Sustainable resource Abstraction Sustainable resource: 1 bill m 3 pr. year Need but needs are unevenly distributed.

12 How can we base our drinking water supply on clean groundwater?? Legislation dating back to 1926 licensing of water abstraction, protection of water resources and registration of wells Environmental legislation starting in the s - protection of aot the water environment and in mid 70s on contaminated sites Since 1987 three Action Plans on the Aquatic Environment and three on Pesticides Surface water abstraction phased out Rising awareness on effects of groundwater abstraction on surface water systems Sound legislation followed by enforcement and monitoring is essential!! Even as important: Active citizens that feel involved and are willing to get involved is necessary!!

13 Copenhagen Energy A limited company owned by the municipality of Copenhagen WATER SUPPLY: 7 waterworks (red text) 56 wellfields (green text 755 abstraction wells 376 monitoring wells 450 ha owned by CE Abstraction of surface water in dry periods (closed 2009) 366 km transport net 1,100 km distribution net 50 million m 3 water / year ~1 million consumers

14 Recommendations: A sound, strong and enforced legislation is the backbone Address all interests and balance these involvement, dialogue and scenarios listen to citizens and experts Awareness - water is NOT a free, inexhaustible resource Certified well drilling companies No abstraction without licenses surveillance Map the resource; where, vulnerability and size Avoid pollution involve and integrate on relevant environmental issues Monitor to avoid unpleasant surprises Consider climate change Consider uncertainty and use the precautionary principle Perfection is impossible with a complex geology beneath our feet! Be ready to learn and get more wise and to remediate and improve be adaptive!

15 USGS, Howard Perlman & Jack Cook, Woods Hole Oceanographic Inst. Thank you for your attention!

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