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Local water laws diluted

Northern Ireland's new water legislation has been labelled "weak and extremely disappointing," by the Freshwater Task Force - a group of environmental NGOs [1]. The group believes that the law in its current state will offer little benefit to local rivers, coastal areas and wetlands, which are in urgent need of protection.

The Water Environment Regulations, which became law earlier this year, were introduced in order to help Northern Ireland meet European targets [2]. Environment specialists within the Freshwater Task Force believe that the new law ignores key issues.

"Draft proposals published last year indicated that the Government was reluctant to take on board European concepts relating to water quality," said Dr Alex McGarel on behalf of the Freshwater Task Force. "We asked for the regulations to be more specific and to offer more protection but instead they have failed to address some of the most fundamental water problems in Northern Ireland."

The task force identified three key areas of concern:

• Lack of specific commitment to ensuring that there will be no further deterioration in the quality of Northern Ireland's water bodies.
• Although recognised as important by the Water Framework Directive, specific reference to the need for protection and enhancement of wetlands has not been included.
• Nationally designated areas of ecological importance in Northern Ireland are treated as inferior - there is no requirement to list them alongside similar EU designated sites on the register of protected areas.

The Freshwater Task Force believes the legislation highlights a minimalist approach to water issues by the Government in Northern Ireland, even though the Environment Minister claimed that the European Directive offers the opportunity to ensure that "vital water resources are safeguarded for future generations [3]."

"This legislation may not be adequate but it is all we have to work with," added Dr McGarel. "It must be fully and effectively implemented if it is to offer even the slightest level of protection. The task force is determined to see this happen and we would welcome the opportunity to participate in the process."

Notes

[1] (back) The Freshwater Task Force is comprised of eight NGOs, all of which have a specific interest in the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Northern Ireland:

Friends Of The Earth
The National Trust
Northern Ireland Environment Link
RSPB
Ulster Angling Federation
Ulster Wildlife Trust
The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust
WWF- the global environment network

The Task Force was set up to ensure that NI preserves and improves its freshwater ecosystems by adopting a sustainable and integrated approach to water management including the recognition of the role of wetlands in water management and full implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). For further information please contact: Edel Moss, tel: 028 9335 5166, mobile: 07974 951309 or email: emoss@wwf.org.uk

[2] (back) The WFD is a piece of European Legislation that requires Government to prevent further deterioration and restore the quality of our rivers, lakes, coastal, ground waters and wetlands that depend on them, by 2015. The Water Environment (Water Framework Directive) Regulations (Northern Ireland) came into operation in January 2004 with the aim of implementing the European legislation locally.

[3] (back) Taken from the Ministerial Foreword of the Third Consultation Paper - Implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive in Northern Ireland, September 2003.