WATER 5.1 Introduction
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AWN/04/2085ER01 AWN Consulting Limited _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5.0 WATER 5.1 Introduction This section describes the baseline water environment and also discusses the constraints and opportunities posed by the water environment of Dublin Bay. The proposed S2S route essentially runs along the coastline of Dublin Bay from Sutton to Sandycove. Dublin Bay is a unique water environment, with its miles of sandy beaches and swimming areas in the heart of the city. Dublin Bay is the city’s finest amenity and Dublin also is the location of the largest shipping port in Ireland. Over a million Dubliners enjoy Dublin Bay. They look out on it, walk along the promenades and shores, play on the beaches, swim, sail, fish and windsurf. The bathing water quality of Dublin Bay has greatly improved over the last few years as a result of the construction of an advanced wastewater treatment plant in Ringsend in 1999. Prior to this, wastewater from Dublin was pumped to the Ringsend Treatment Works where it received primary treatment only before being discharged into the bay and wastewater from the north of the city was discharged, untreated, into the sea at Howth. The EPA produces an annual report which presents key findings and results for 2003 on the quality of Ireland's bathing waters. The EPA Bathing Water Report for 2003 7 shows that the water quality at Dollymount Strand and Merrion Strand improved between 2002 and 2003 and was fully compliant with the mandatory and guide values of the EU bathing water quality requirements. In addition, early in 2004, Seapoint beach was designated as a Blue Flag Beach, which requires a high standard of water quality to be maintained. The legislation governing the water quality of Dublin Bay is discussed in the following section. 5.1.1 Legislation Governing Water Quality EU Water Quality Directives and Associated Regulations There is a large body of legislation governing the water quality of Dublin Bay There are several primary EU Directives, which are particularly relevant to the quality of water for various uses which have been adopted by the European Union. National Regulations have been made in connection with these Directives. The requirements of these Directives are summarized in the following paragraphs. Bathing Water Directive (76/160/EEC) The Bathing Water Directive has been given effect in Irish law by the European Communities (Quality of Bathing Water) (Revocation) Regulations, 1992. It is the primary legislation governing the quality of bathing waters. The purpose of the Directive is to ensure that the quality of bathing water is maintained and, where necessary, improved so that it complies with specified standards designed to protect public health and the environment. The National Limit Values set by the regulations and the European Mandatory and Guide Values are summarized in Appendix A – 5.1. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 27 AWN/04/2085ER01 AWN Consulting Limited _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Surface Water Directive (75/440/EEC) The Surface Water Directive covers the quality of surface water which is used a source of human consumption after the appropriate treatment processes. It has been given effect by the European Communities (Quality of Surface Water Intended for the Abstraction of Drinking Water) Regulations, 1989. The Regulations categorize surface waters from which water for public supply will be taken as A1, A2 or A3, depending on the (increasing) degree of treatment which will be applied and they set out quality standards. Dangerous Substances Directive (76/464/EEC) The Dangerous Substances Directive on pollution caused by certain dangerous substances discharged into the aquatic environment of the Community was one of the first water related Directives to be adopted. It has objective of regulating potential aquatic pollution by thousands of chemicals. The Directive covers discharges to inland surface waters, territorial waters, inland coastal waters. Freshwater Fish Directive (78/659/EEC) The Freshwater Fish Directive was introduced in 1978. It was incorporated into Irish law in 1988 when the Minister for the Environment signed the European Communities (Quality of Salmonid Waters) Regulations, 1988 (Statutory Instrument S.I No. 293 of 1988). This directive is very important because its sets quality standards for fresh water. Fresh water fish can only live in high quality, clean fresh water. If the water quality standards for fish (particularly salmonid fish) are met then the water will be of sufficiently high quality for a variety of beneficial uses as already outlined, for example serving as a source of drinking water and the support of wildlife. Shellfish (79/923/EEC) The Directive concerns the quality of shellfish waters and applies to coastal and brackish waters designated as needing protection or improvement in order to support shellfish. Groundwater (80/68/EEC) The Groundwater Directive aims generally at protecting groundwater by preventing the discharge into groundwater of certain substances (specified in List 1 in the Annex to the Directive) and by limiting the discharge of certain other substances (specified in List 2 of that Annex). Drinking Water Directive (80/778/EEC) (98/83/EC) The basic standards governing the quality of drinking water intended for human consumption are set out in EU Directive 98/83/EC. These Regulations came into force in January 2004 (when they revoked and replaced EC (Quality of Water intended for Human Consumption) Regulations, 1988 as amended. All water for human consumption, whether in its original state or after treatment, regardless of origin is covered by Directive 98/83/EC The Regulations specify standards in respect of 48 parametric values which are grouped into three categories, i.e. microbiological, chemical and indicator parameters. More stringent standards will be introduced for Lead, Ammonium and Fluoride. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 28 AWN/04/2085ER01 AWN Consulting Limited _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Urban Waste Water Treatment (91/271/EEC) The Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive addresses nutrient-based, bacterial and viral pollution caused by urban wastewater. The Directive requires that urban centres (cities, towns and settlements) meet minimum wastewater collection and treatment standards within deadlines fixed by the Directive. These deadlines are fixed according to the sensitivity of the affected waters and to the size of the urban population concerned. The Irish Government aim to meet the EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive in relation to provision of secondary treatment in urban areas by the end of 2005. This aspect has been the main focus of investment under the Wastewater Services Investment Program (WSIP) over the past number of years. At the start of the current National Development Plan period in 2000, compliance with the Directive stood at 25%. Following the completion of the Ringsend wastewater treatment plan for the Dublin region earlier this year, this has now risen to 69% and is expected to increase further to 87% by the end of the year. It is expected that Ireland will have achieved full compliance by the end of 2005. Nitrates (91/676/EEC) The Nitrates Directive has the objective of reducing water pollution caused or induced by nitrates from agricultural sources and preventing further such pollution. It is intended both to safeguard groundwater and to prevent wider ecological damage in the form of eutrophication of freshwater and marine waters generally. With the exception of the Dangerous Substances and Groundwater Directives, all of the above directives are based on the “Environmental Quality Objective” (EQO) approach, in which standards are laid down for various types of water in which contaminants may be found, and the concentrations of which are limited. Water Framework Directive Most of these individual Directives give way to the Water Framework Directive (200/60/EC), which addresses inland surface waters, estuarine, and coastal waters and groundwater. The Water Framework Directive was adopted into Irish Law in December 2003 and provides a comprehensive framework for water quality management across the EU. It requires that we take a holistic view of water and how it sustains life. The fundamental objective of the Water Framework Directive aims at maintaining ‘high status’ of waters where it exists, preventing the deterioration in the existing status of waters and achieving at least “good status” in relation to all waters by 2015. 5.2 Methodology The Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI) well card and groundwater records for the area were inspected, with reference to hydrology and hydrogeology 3. Site visits were carried out in June - August 2004, by AWN Consulting Ltd in order to assess the water environment along the route of the S2S. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page 29 AWN/04/2085ER01 AWN Consulting Limited _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5.3 Baseline Environment 5.3.1 Surface Water Quality and Environment The route follows the coastline of Dublin Bay from Sutton to Sandycove. During the