| European Code of Conduct for Coastal Zones |
| XIV. WATER MANAGEMENT
14.1. Status and Trends All phases of water management from reducing water demand and ensuring a stable supply of fresh drinking water to the appropriate disposal of wastewater - are central to sustainable development. Water is an essential resource for agriculture, industry, energy production, tourism, urban life, nature, and wildlife. The transboundary nature of water resources makes it at the same time one of the most difficult resources to manage sustainably. In some areas, such as the Mediterranean, water is also a scarce and very valuable resource. Water management is a broad term reflecting a variety of resources and issues. Water resources include both ground and surface waters, the latter encompassing both sweet (rivers and lakes) and salt (seas) water. Issues include both the quality and quantity of water, with implications for development, health, and nature conservation. The European Union has made considerable progress with a wide range
of Directives covering water quality, i.e. the Council of the European
Communities Directive 76/160/EEC concerning the quality of bathing
water, the Council of the European Communities Directive 79/923/EEC
of 30 October 1979 on quality required of the shellfish waters,
and the Council of the European Communities Directive 91/271/EEC
of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste water treatment. There is
scope for approaches to be rationalised and harmonised to make them
more effective and cover a wider range of waters. The harmonisation
of directives within a new Water Resources Framework Directive should
lead to a clearer, more unified and effective means of protecting
the coastal environment. 14.2. Impacts The volume and quality of water reaching coastal estuaries and ecosystems has important ramifications for biodiversity. Poor water quality, as indicated by the presence of viruses, bacteria and toxic chemicals is harmful to humans and wildlife. The concentration of harmful substances, and hence their potential to cause damage, is partly affected by the volume of water flowing into the system. The flow of water is also an important factor in sedimentation patterns and hence the existence and resilience of sedimentary coastal systems (e.g. dunes, saltmarshes, mudflats and deltas). Water quality and volume is affected by a range of human activities: excessive demand, overpumping, pollution from sewage outfalls or direct discharges (including by industry); thermal pollution from power stations; run-off from agricultural lands or roadways; construction of dams and reservoirs; irrigation; and operational discharges from vessels at sea, to name just a few. The depletion of groundwater is detrimental to coastal systems in a variety of ways. It can cause saltwater intrusion into aquifers, soil erosion and land subsidence and salinisation, to name a few.(UNEP 1995), (HELCOM Prot. Balt. Sea) Beaches throughout Europe are littered with materials which have
been flushed into sewage systems, many of which still provide primary
treatment only. Pollution may be generated from within a given country,
by neighbouring countries, or even from sewage discharges thousands
of miles away. Damage to coastal ecosystems occurs not only from
the discharge of sewage, but from a host of other materials which
find their way into sewage systems: industrial and other hazardous
wastes (e.g. hospital wastes), plastics, sanitary products, and
so forth. Combined Sewer Overflows are probably the single greatest
cause of sewage related pollution. Litter is a major problem for
coastal areas, because of its potential impact on wildlife and human
health and because of the high costs to local communities which
must foot the bill for clean-up or bear the costs in loss of tourist
revenues. Mechanical cleaning of beaches is also a threat in and
of itself, as habitat for small animals and plants are destroyed
by the cleaning action of the machines. 14.3. Opportunities There is increasing attention to preventing and controlling problems
arising from water management and pollution at the source. Interest
in the use of alternative water treatment technologies particularly
for small and medium-sized sources is growing. In the Baltic region,
for example, ecological engineering technologies are showing promise
as cost-effective, energy-saving and environmentally sustainable
alternatives to conventional systems (CCB
1996). Ecological engineering technologies utilise, create
or re-create natural systems such as wetlands, soil, and reed beds
which act as filters for pollutants or nutrients, and absorb storm
water run-off. 14.4. Guidelines for Water Management in Coastal Zones 14.4.1. Water Quantity Authorities responsible for water management should take account of natural rather than artificial boundaries; management therefore should be approached at a catchment level, and should consider solutions on both a large- and small-scale. No new groundwater catchments should be established for coastal
zones. Water supplies should be taken from surface waters, in quantities
which can be replenished by annual rainfall. Rain-fed sources of
groundwater, which are stored in natural sand dune systems, should
not be exploited without a thorough examination of environmental
implications. Rain water collection systems for households can contribute to a reduction in the need for centrally supplied water. Water Conservation Recycling of wastewater wherever possible (e.g. for irrigation or industrial use) will help to conserve fresh water. The installation of low/no water or composting toilets throughout coastal communities will also help conserve water supplies. In some areas, water consumption is being reduced by charging fees for the disposal of wastewater. Likewise, when water consumption is metered, consumer habits can be modified through effective pricing policies. Water pipeline leakage is a significant source of water loss. Leakage can be prevented through the careful design of waterworks. In selecting materials, for example, local soil and climate conditions as well as the temperature of the water to be distributed should be taken into account. Proper selection of materials can also help prevent the need for over-flushing of sewers. Irrigation Guidelines on conserving groundwater through the limitation of agricultural irrigation are found in "Agriculture". Dune Afforestations The relationship of dune afforestations and water conservation
is covered in "Forest Management". 14.4.2. Water Quality Wastewater Treatment Wastewater and/or storm run-off should not be discharged to enclosed water bodies or other areas where water circulation is minimal. Discharge systems can be (re)designed and managed to prevent pollution from storm overflows and to ensure that effluents are effectively screened. Tertiary treatment (or equivalent alternative technology) of all sewage discharges into European coastal waters is recommended. Discharge outfalls should be located down-current from bathing areas, water intakes, shellfish beds, lagoons, and other areas which are likely to be harmed by exposure to contaminants. Local authorities can maintain inventories of private sewers, manure-treatment plants, and other sources of nutrient discharge in order to ascertain the volume of untreated waste entering coastal systems. For small- or medium-sized sources, the potential for using environmental engineering technologies should be investigated and encouraged where appropriate. Public awareness programmes regarding consumption and disposal habits are also important and should be initiated. The basic tenets of such programmes should include:
The recycling of grey water or treated sewage for other purposes (irrigation, fertilisation, etc.) implies that industrial inputs of contaminated wastewater to municipal sewage treatment systems should be discontinued as soon as possible. Drinking Water Alternative methods of disinfection can be considered to replace
current chlorine-reliant technology where feasible. Research into
the use of UV and biological treatment technologies should be supported.
REFERENCES: Water Management
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