Groundwater protection and drinking water supply in Aalborg (Drastrup)
Project manager Pernille Stampe Jakobsen, Aalborg Water Ltd. & Ground Water protection-cooperation Aalborg 2 Groundwater protection and drinking water supply in Aalborg - Drastrup 3 Groundwater protection and drinking water supply in Aalborg - Drastrup 4 GroundwaterActive protection production wells inand DK drinking 2008-2012 [mg nitrate/l] water supply in Aalborg - Drastrup >50 25-50 1-25
GEUS Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland 5
The scene: Denmark
Aalborg
København
Odense 6
The scene: Denmark
Aalborg
Drinking water in Denmark is 100% based on groundwater extraction
København
Odense 7
The scene: Denmark
Aalborg
Drinking water in Denmark is 100% based on groundwater extraction
• Simple water treatment – sand filtersKøbenhavn (Fe, Mn) • Simple oxidation • No chemicals added • Directly to consumerOdense 8 The scene: Aalborg Municipality
1.137 km2 210.316 inhabitants (2016)
Aalborg Water Ltd. 3 Consumer owned • Extraction: 12.6 million m /yr waterworks • 93 consumer owned waterworks and Aalborg Water Ltd. 8 9 The scene: Strategy of action to secure the drinking water
Purify the groundwater
Move to an other extraction location
Protect the catchment area
9 10
Purifying the groundwater
• Prevention rather than treatment • Use of chemicals in water treatment is not common today • Introducing: • chemical ”consumption”
• transport (New roads, CO2, noise) • Waste production
Many small waterworks don’t have the capacity to start a purification process (m3, knowledge, economy, buildings)
It might (probably) be necessary at some sites for a period 11
Move the well site
• How is the land use at a new site? • Is the groundwater quality better? • Is it possible to extract enough? • Will the desired extraction effect nature/surface water? (E.g. EU habitats) – then we dont get a permission • Time perspective (Geological surveys, test extraction, building and final permits is time consuming + 10 years) – what to do in the mean time?
• Cost to the above AND • Protecting the new site 12
Protect the catchment area
1. Buy the land – or get somebody to it
2. Make an agreement not to fertilize and not to use pesticides
Only if/when the landowner wants to
The deal has to be economical attractive to the landowner
The above scenario is slow – and not fast/effective enough when the platform is burning… 13
Protect the catchment area
3. Make an agreement based on a action plan in which the legal rights for expropriation is based
This is a strong instrument and only to be used where the municipality find it necessary.
This is the case in Aalborg - including Drastrup 14
The scene: Strategy of action Policy: to protect the ground water “Prevention rather than treatment” § LEGISLATION
Mapping
Action plan
Measures
14 15
The scene: Strategy of action Policy: to protect the ground water “Prevention rather than treatment” § LEGISLATION
The Danish National Agency for Environment Management Mapping Assessment of the vulnerability of the groundwater resource
Action plan
Measures
15 16
The scene: Strategy of action Policy: to protect the ground water “Prevention rather than treatment” § LEGISLATION
The Danish National Agency for Environment Management Mapping Assessment of the vulnerability of the groundwater resource
Action Municipality plan Assessment of what needs to be done, by whom
Measures
16 17
The scene: Strategy of action Policy: to protect the ground water “Prevention rather than treatment” § LEGISLATION
The Danish National Agency for Environment Management Mapping Assessment of the vulnerability of the groundwater resource
Action Municipality plan Assessment of what needs to be done, by whom
Waterworks or Measures Municipality
17 18
The scene: Strategy of action Policy: to protect the ground water “Prevention rather than treatment” § LEGISLATION
The Danish National Agency for Environment Management Mapping Assessment of the vulnerability of the groundwater resource
Action Municipality plan Assessment of what needs to be done, by whom
Waterworks or Measures Municipality Not private landowners
18 19
The scene: Strategy of action Policy: to protect the ground water “Prevention rather than treatment” § LEGISLATION
The Danish National Agency for Environment Management Mapping Assessment of the vulnerability of the groundwater resource
Action Municipality plan Assessment of what needs to be done, by whom
98 Municipalities in DK + Different geology Waterworks or Measures + Different land use Municipality + Different local politics = 98 different ways of Not private landowners making action plans.. 19 20 Action plans in Aalborg
Calculate the area in which intensive farming can not continue due to the nitrate-level
This area is called the vulnarably narrow zone (An Aalborg-zone, not a national used zone)
In this zone the waterworks have to (try to) make agreements with the landowners and pay a compensation for it 21 Action plans in Aalborg
If the waterworks dont succed, we pass over the non- accepted agreement to the municipality and they will turn it into a ban – where intensive farming no longer is accepted
This ”treath” of a ban: • Is written into the law (Environmental protection law § 26a) • Depend on an action plan from the municipalty with specifically described need • Is used when you have a burning platform • Ensures tax-exemption on the compensation – both the ”voluntary” agreement and the ban 22 Action plans in Aalborg
If the waterworks dont succed, we pass over the non- accepted agreement to the municipality and they will turn it into a ban – where intensive farming no longer is accepted
This ”treath” of a ban: • Is written into the law (Environmental protection law § 26a) • Depend on an action plan from the municipalty with specifically described need • Is used when you have a burning platform • Ensures tax-exemption on the compensation – both the ”voluntary” agreement and the ban THIS makes it attractive to have a ”treath” in the action plans 23 Action plans in Aalborg
Catchment area
Vulnerable narrow zone Nitrate application
Root zone Nitrate uptake/mineralization
General Declaration: max. 25 mg regulation nitrate/l leaching
Nitrate reduction Drinking water standard Unsaturated zone potential - if any 50 mg nitrate/l
Groundwater 23 24 Action plans in Aalborg
Catchment area
Vulnerable narrow zone
24 25 Action plans in Aalborg
Catchment area
Vulnerable narrow zone
Specific area - borders 25 26 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg
Essentials cultivation agreement • Set a limit for use of fertilisers and pesticides (None) • Permanent solution. The agreement is declared to the estate/area and no annual agreements • One time payment • Controllable 27 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg 28 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg App. 1.500 ha gone from intensive farming to no use af fertilizer and no pesticides Incl. herbicides etc. 29 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg App. 1.500 ha gone from intensive farming to to protected land 30 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg
Terms: • no additional application of fertilizer • no pesticides • grazing pressure: 0,7 animal units/hectare • ploughing - maximum of every 5 years • plant cover needed at all time • non nitrogen-fixing crops, including clover • non very water consuming crops, ex. willow • used for fallow(brak), grazing or forest 31 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg
Full compensation – payment:
One time payment is detemined by the difference in the sales value before and after the agreement (Which is declared on the estate/area) thus including: • value loss on the farm and (production facilities, machinery etc.) • cost of changeovers (fencing, grass sowing etc.)
Does not take into account if the land is bought at a higher price compared to today 32 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg
Economy:
1.5 kr/m3 to groundwater protection
So far declaration on app. 1.500 ha at a total of app. 147 mio kr. (App. 21 mio EUROs)
We expect to be “done” by 2027 33 Agreements to protect the ground water in Aalborg
Economy: Expenses/ Income Buy Voluntary – no helmet Expropriation-like- for expropri. agreement Waterworks 150.000 dkk 100.000 dkk 100.000 dkk More land Landowner 150.000 dkk X dkk due to tax- 100.000 dkk Less land reduction No land reduction* No land reduction*
*The land with a declaration represents a value of 50.000 dkk. It does work – but it takes time
Hals
Nibe
29-03-2019 It does work – but it takes time Nitrate level in the uppe groundwater is decreasing – with 5 - 10 years delay
Hals
Nibe
29-03-2019 It does work – but it takes time Nitrate level in the uppe groundwater is decreasing – with 5 - 10 years delay
Hals
Nibe
29-03-2019 It does work – but it takes time Nitrate level in the uppe groundwater is decreasing – with 5 - 10 years delay
Hals
Nibe
29-03-2019 38 www.vandsamarbejdeaalborg.dk