Brussels, Belgium, Oct. 31, 2002 -- The European Commission has presented the proposal for a revised Directive of the European Parliament and of the council concerning the Quality of Bathing Water.
This Commission proposal is to replace the existing Council Directive 1976/160/EEC, which has been in force for over 25 years. The new proposal is intended to deliver three clear benefits: improved health standards, more efficient management including the active involvement of the public and, finally, allowing Member States greater flexibility in the way they implement the Directive.
Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom said that her priority was to improve the level of protection for bathers at the same time as modernising the management of bathing waters: "This new proposal puts the emphasis on the proactive management of beaches, not just the regular monitoring of water quality. Public authorities should put in place management plans in consultation with the users of beaches. We also need to make more use of modern communication methods such as the Internet to inform the public about the quality of bathing waters".
Commissioner Wallstrom welcomed the adoption of the commission's proposal for a revised Directive on the Quality of Bathing Water and added : "I am pleased to present this proposal to tighten the health standards relating to pollution in bathing waters. The proposed health standards are based on the latest scientific research".
Improved Health Standards
The main threat to human health associated with bathing is contact with, or ingestion of, faecal material originating from poorly treated sewage or from livestock. All bathers are potentially susceptible to the health risks although young children are particularly vulnerable (greater sensitivity and greater likelihood of swallowing water).
The new proposal represents a significant tightening of the health standards relating to faecal pollution. Compared with the current Directive, the proposed standards reduce by a factor of two to three the risk of contracting gastro-enteritis and respiratory diseases as a result of bathing.
The new proposal sets out quality standards that have to be respected - the obligatory ('good') standard and a tougher ('excellent') standard that Member States should encourage. The intention is to encourage the progressive movement towards cleaner bathing waters and to allow sites with exceptionally good water quality to exploit/capitalise on this situation.
Proactive Approach to Beach Management
The proposed Directive foresees that an assessment should be made at each bathing site of the likely sources of contamination and a management plan drawn up in order to minimise the risks to bathers. Where bathing sites have a history of poor water quality, such as at times of unusually severe weather conditions, preventive measures should be taken to close the bathing site when such weather conditions are predicted. Where standards are not respected, remedial measures must be taken.
The proposed Directive requires that information on the status of a bathing site, the monitoring data on water quality, the management plan and other relevant information is readily available to the general public. As well as being physically displayed at the site, information should also be available through the media and the internet. The users of bathing water sites should be actively involved in the development of the management plan by way of public consultations.
Simplification
Whilst it is recognised that faecal material is the primary focus of concern, the 1976 Directive required the monitoring of 17 parameters including heavy metals. The new proposal requires only two parameters to be monitored, as both are regarded as excellent indicators of faecal contamination (Intestinal Enterococci and Escherischia Coli). This will allow resources to be focused on the monitoring of those parameters that constitute a real threat to human health.
Bathing water quality will also be improved through the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC). The Framework Directive requires that good standards should be achieved for all waters. Member States will put in place river basin management plans including an analysis of the river basin's characteristics, a review of the impact of human activity on the waters in the basin, and an economic analysis of water use in the district. This integrated approach upstream will contribute to the improved quality of downstream bathing waters.
In the new proposal, the classification of water quality at a bathing site will be determined on the basis of a three-year trend and not on the basis of one year's results as is currently the case. This means that the classification will be less susceptible to bad weather conditions or "one-off" incidents.
Where the quality of water is consistently good over a three-year period the frequency of sampling and monitoring may be reduced, thereby reducing the costs.
The commission is proposing that the new standards and procedures should come into force two years after the adoption of the Directive. This lead-in time will give the authorities and operators concerned the opportunity to make the necessary investment in sewage treatment and other remedial measures.
The full text of the Proposed Directive is available on the Europa server on
http://www.europa.eu.int/water/water-bathing/index_en.html
Background
Protection of bathing waters was one of the first components of European Water Policy. The 1976 Bathing Water Directive has been successful in setting binding standards for bathing waters throughout the European Union. The annual Bathing Water Report shows substantial progress in the quality of bathing waters and public awareness. The report on EU Bathing Water Quality is available on http://www.europa.eu.int/water/water-bathing/report.html.
Europeans are very concerned about water quality in sea, coasts, rivers and lakes. Knowing there is clean and safe water in which to swim plays an important factor in their choice of holiday destination. Moreover, for the tourist industry, clean and safe water is an important incentive in attracting visitors.
The 1976 Bathing Water Directive reflects clearly the state of knowledge and experience of the early 1970s. Since 1976, epidemiological knowledge has progressed and management methods have improved.
Based on the experience of the current Bathing Water Directive, the proposed Directive makes use of long-term quality assessment and management methods in order to allow for a reduction of both frequency and monitoring costs. Well-developed management of bathing waters and extensive public information replace a purely monitoring and retrospective compliance approach.
In December 2000 the commission published a communication on "Developing a new Bathing Water Policy" (IP/01/40). This Communication brought forward the two parameters, Intestinal Enterococci and Escherischia Coli, which are reliable indicators for the presence of pathogen bacteria of faecal origin. This Communication also introduced the concepts of bathing water management, long-term assessment and standardised methods for analysis. It also emphasised the nececessity of public participation and information sharing.
A broad public and expert consultation followed this Communication, following European Governance principles. In this process the commission was supported by the council, Member States, the scientific community, NGOs and stakeholders.
The final proposal takes account of WHO conclusions, and scientific research conducted by several Universities and Member States' institutions.
