Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Strategic Environmental Assessment of Draft Water Resources Management Plan
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Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Strategic Environmental Assessment of Draft Water Resources Management Plan Environmental Report AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Third-Party Disclaimer Any disclosure of this report to a third party is subject to this disclaimer. The report was prepared by AMEC at the instruction of, and for use by, our client named on the front of the report. It does not in any way constitute advice to any third party who is able to access it by any means. AMEC excludes to the fullest extent lawfully permitted all liability whatsoever for any loss or damage howsoever arising from reliance on the contents of this report. We do not however exclude our liability (if any) for personal injury or death resulting from our negligence, for fraud or any other matter in relation to which we cannot legally exclude liability. Document Revisions No. Details Date 1 Draft for Client Comment 23/02/2013 2 Final for Client 26/03/2013 3 Final 10/04/2013 © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 iv This page is intentionally blank © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 v Non Technical Summary This Non-Technical Summary presents the findings of the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water draft Water Resources Management Plan contained in the accompanying Environmental Report. The assessment, Environmental Report and Non-Technical Summary have been completed by AMEC E&I UK Ltd on behalf of Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water. The Strategic Environmental Assessment and Water Resources Management Plan Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (Welsh Water) provides water services to customers in much of Wales and parts of Herefordshire in England. Along with all water companies in England and Wales, there is a statutory requirement for Welsh Water to prepare, maintain and publish a Water Resources Management Plan (WRMP). The WRMP sets out how the balance between water supply and demand, and security of supply will be maintained over the coming 25 years in a way that is economically, socially and environmentally sustainable. The WRMPs are reviewed on a rolling 5 year basis. Welsh Water is currently preparing its WRMP for adoption in 2014, the first stage of which is to prepare a draft WRMP (dWRMP) for consultation. The WRMP process identifies potential shortages in the future availability of water and sets out the possible solutions required to maintain the balance between water supply and future demand. The process initially reviews as many potential solutions as possible (the ‘unconstrained list’ of options) to identify ‘feasible’ options for each Water Resource Zone (WRZ) where deficits are predicted. These ‘feasible’ options are reviewed to identify ‘preferred options’ to resolve any supply deficits in relation to financial, environmental and social costing. This preferred list is based on standard assessment methodologies set out in the WRMP and is also informed by the findings of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA), which have been undertaken in accordance with relevant regulations1. The Revised dWRMP identifies the most economic combinations of options in six WRZs; N Eryri Ynys Mon, Bala, Tywyn Aberdyfi, South Meirionnydd, Brecon / Portis, and Pembrokeshire. The remaining eighteen WRZs are forecasted to have sufficient supplies to meet demand over the next 25 years. The SEA (and HRA) has therefore assessed the likely economic, social and environmental effects of proposed water management options in these six WRZ and has identified ways in which adverse effects can be minimised and positive effects enhanced. The other WRZs that comprise the Welsh Water’s supply area are expected to have sufficient supplies of water to meet demand over the next 25 and therefore do not form part of the assessment. The WRZs that comprise the Welsh Water supply area are shown in Figure S.1. 1 The Environmental Assessment of Plans and Programmes Regulations 2004 (SI2004/1633) and The Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 (SI2010/490) © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 vi This page is intentionally blank © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 vii Figure S.1 Welsh Water Supply Area © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 viii This page is intentionally blank © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 ix Characterisation of Welsh Water’s Supply Area It is important that any plan, including the WRMP, takes into account the environmental, social and economic circumstances in which it is to be implemented. This is to ensure that unintended effects are avoided as well as to identify the potential for contributions towards other complementary public strategic objectives. Based on an analysis of recent relevant information, the key environmental, social and economic issues (summarised as sustainability issues) in the Welsh Water supply area have been identified and are summarised in Table S.1 below. Full contextual information (the review of plans and programmes, the baseline information and the evolution of the baseline) is presented in the main Environmental Report. Table S1 - Summary of the Key Sustainability Issues Identified in the Strategic Environmental Assessment Topic Area Key Economic, Social and Environmental Issues Biodiversity The need to protect or enhance biodiversity across the Welsh Water areas; The need to protect or enhance the protected sites designated for nature conservation; The need to continue to improve the condition of priority habitats to support increases in wildlife, biodiversity and important protected species; and. The need to protect, maintain and enhance ecological function and connectivity. Geology and Soils The need to protect and enhance protected sites designated for their geological interest; The need to protect, maintain and enhance geomorphological functions and services; The need to protect, maintain and enhance/restore soil processes and functions; and The need to maintain or improve the quality of soils in the area. Water The need to maintain and improve water quality; The need to ensure the risk of all forms of flooding is not increased, and options for mitigation and flood resilience are investigated; The need to maintain seasonal flows in groundwater and surface water; The need to restore sustainable and appropriate abstraction levels and water flow/levels in Wales’ waters across the full range of regimes from low to high conditions; and The potential effects of climate change and the need to build climate change resilience into the water environment and water management. Air Quality and Climate The need to reduce air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions arising from the implementation of WRMP options; The need to take into account, and where possible mitigate for, the potential effects of climate change; and The need to adapt to climate change. Human Environment The need to ensure that water resource requirements of people and visitors can be met at all times; The need to ensure that water resources remain affordable; The need to ensure that the WRMP measures do not impact on the health and well-being of all members of the community; The need to ensure that vulnerable people are not affected by implementation of the WRMP measures; and The need to ensure that WRMP measures do not have an adverse economic impact. © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No. 32493 R011i3 x Topic Area Key Economic, Social and Environmental Issues Material Assets and Resource Use The need to promote water efficiency measures (including metering); The need to ensure that leakage is managed at a sustainable economic level; The need to maintain the balance between supply and demand for water; The need to reduce energy consumption; The need to ensure efficient use of resources such as construction materials; The need to minimise waste arisings, promote reuse, recovery and recycling and minimise the impact of wastes on the environment and communities; and. The need to ensure the sustainable management of water resources; Cultural Heritage The need to protect or and enhance features, landscapes and sites of archaeological importance and cultural heritage interest as central to the culture of Wales; and. The need to recognise to conserve and local distinctiveness. Landscape The need to protect the natural beauty of the area; and The need to protect and maintain the landscape distinctiveness of the area. The Approach to Assessing the Potential Impacts of the Water Resources Management Plan An assessment framework has been developed to assess the economic, social and environmental effects of the dWRMP. This framework sets out eleven assessment objectives relating to the key issues identified in Table S.1. For each objective, guide questions are provided. The guide questions focus the assessment on specific aspects of the objective that reflect issues identified from a review of baseline and contextual information relating to the Welsh Water supply/source area. Indicative significance thresholds have also been developed for each assessment objective. The performance of each of the feasible and preferred water resource management options within the dWRMP has been assessed against the eleven assessment objectives to ensure that each option is assessed in a robust and consistent manner. The assessment framework that has been used to assess the dWRMP options is shown in Table S.2. Table S.2. Assessment Objectives and Guide Questions SEA Objective Guide Questions 1. To protect and enhance biodiversity, key Will proposed abstractions impact or enhance designated nature conservation sites (e.g. habitats and species ecological functions, SACs, SPAs, Ramsar and SSSIs) affected by water management and / or water quality or capacity and habitat connectivity at high / moderate risk from abstraction or low flow? Will the option protect and enhance biodiversity, including sites designated for nature conservation interest? © AMEC Environment & Infrastructure UK Limited April 2013 Doc Reg No.