Water Framework Directive
Water protection instruments
In addition to water pricing, which is one of the most remarkable novelties of the Water Framework Directive (D), Member States are bound to a systematic observation (A) and action (B), especially what concerns releases (C).
(A) Observation of water bodies
An initial appraisal of the situation of each river basin district was made in order to allow the efficient implementation of substantive actions: analysis of the characteristics of the river basins and of the impact of human activity, inventory of emissions, releases and losses of polluting substances, the reduction or suppression of which from surface waters is a priority and which are the subject-matter of quality standards as well as their concentration in the sediments or in the biota, as the case may be (Article 5).An economic analysis of water services is conducted with respect to those associated with damage or negative impacts on the aquatic environment (para. 38 of the preamble), taking into account long-term forecasts of supply and demand for water within the river basin district and, where appropriate, an estimation of the volume, price and costs associated with surfaces linked to water use, as well as of relevant investment (Annex III).
The changes in the status of any given water body must thereafter be monitored in a systematic and comparable way (para. 36 of the preamble).
Member States must ensure that programmes are established for the monitoring of water status within each river basin district and in a way appropriate for the several categories of water bodies (Article 7(1) and article 8(1)).