Water Framework Directive
Groundwater
The objective which had to be reached by 2015 consisted, for groundwater, in a good quantitative and chemical status (Article 2(20)).
Directive 2006/118/EC above-mentioned sets forth the criteria and procedures permitting the determination of the chemical status of groundwater. The criteria are called “groundwater quality standards” and constitute “environmental quality standards” for the purposes of the Water Framework Directive. A groundwater body is deemed to be have a good chemical status in several situations. First, this is obviously the case where quality standards and limit values are complied with. Second, good chemical status may also be established through an “appropriate investigation” which confirms, inter alia, that the concentrations of pollutants therein do not present a significant environmental risk nor that of saline or other intrusions in the body of the groundwater. In addition, they must not be such as to prevent the relevant objectives from being achieved, or to cause a significant decrease of the ecological or chemical quality or to cause important damage to terrestrial eco-systems depending directly on the groundwater body. The ability of the water body concerned to support human use must also not be “significantly impaired by pollution” (Article 4(2) and Annex III).
Member States must implement the measures necessary to “reverse any significant and sustained upward trend in the concentration of any pollutant, resulting from the impact of human activity” on groundwater. It is also provided for the prevention or limitation of the input of pollutants into groundwater in an effort to fight adverse impacts on all groundwater bodies (Article 4(1)).