15/08/2005 - New figures
show the quality of rivers across England
and Wales remaining relatively stable, the
Environment Agency said today. The Agency's
latest annual assessment, for 2004, shows
a slight improvement in the key indicator
of water biology compared to 2003, with 71%
- or nearly 27,500km - of rivers being classified
as 'very good' or 'good'. Although this shows
a 1% improvement on last year’s figures, the
Agency says greater improvement is required
to meet new EU standards through work tackling
diffuse pollution.
There was no real change in the key indicator
of water chemistry however, with a stable
65% - or close to 26,500km - of rivers meeting
the criteria for the top two grades in 2004.
Nutrient levels fluctuated slightly in 2004
as in previous recent years, but are still
high in a large proportion of rivers, particularly
in England. Nitrates were reported at high
levels in 29% of total river length in 2004,
while phosphate levels were high in 53% of
rivers, a slight decrease of just under one
per cent over 2003 but still higher than in
1995.
Tricia Henton, Director of Environmental
Protection, said:
"Our top two indicators show that our
water environment is generally healthy, but
we have seen an improvement in quality in
recent years, reflecting the fact that a lot
of the big sewage and industrial problems
of the past have been addressed through investment.
When we look at other indicators, however,
we can see the impact of myriad small and
diffuse sources of pollution and nutrients
from sewage works. Together, these are preventing
further progress in improving the quality
of water and its associated wildlife."
New quality standards to be set under the
EU Water Framework Directive will define new
targets for future environmental water quality
across Europe, and require more comprehensive
assessment of the 'ecological health' of rivers
and water bodies. Along with other member
states, the UK has completed an initial benchmarking
assessment of river catchments in the past
year.
Tricia Henton said:
"In England it is farming and urban
run-off, and in Wales it is farming showing
up as the most widespread pollution risks
that we will need to tackle to make further
progress and meet new EU standards.
"Our initial assessment shows that,
while all catchments will require action to
one degree or another, 82% of river water
bodies may need action to address the diffuse
impacts of rural and urban run-off. This will
require concerted action to design and build
better drainage for housing and roads in order
to intercept and trap contaminants in surface
water run-off; reducing pollution risks from
contaminated land by ensuring it is treated
to high standards, and working with farmers
to tackle diffuse water pollution from agriculture.
On the latter, we will offer extra support
to farmers in priority catchments where current
good farming practice is not enough to protect
the environment.We are also encouraging farmers
to join agri-environment schemes to reduce
pollution from nutrients and pesticides."
The full findings of the Environment Agency's
latest General Quality Assessment (GQA) of
rivers in England and Wales can be found on
the Agency's website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/eff/water/213902/river_qual/?version=1&lang=_e
The latest GQA data will be incorporated
into the website 'What's in your backyard'
search pages by early September, allowing
web users to search water quality by postcode
or town.
NOTES TO EDITORS:
The Environment Agency's General Quality
Assessment for 2004 can be found at
www.environment-agency.gov.uk/yourenv/eff/water/213902/river_qual/?version=1&lang=_e
The Environment Agency has statutory duties
to reduce pollution, manage water resources
and conserve the environment. The Agency monitors
the quality of over 40,000km of rivers and
canals and 2,800km of estuaries in England
and Wales.
General Quality Assessment
The Agency' General Quality Assessment (GQA)
scheme classifies water quality in rivers
and canals in England and Wales. The scheme
provides a way of comparing river quality
from one river to another and for looking
at changes over time.
For the chemistry and nutrient ‘windows’,
about 7,000 river and canal sites are sampled
12 times each year. The annual classification
is based on 36 samples ie the combined results
for three years, so the classification for
the year 2004 is based on sample results for
2002, 2003 and 2004.
GQA classification methods
Chemistry
Samples are analysed for ammonia, biochemical
oxygen demand (BOD) and dissolved oxygen.
Each of the three parameters is graded A to
F, and the site is assigned an overall grade
based on the lowest of the three. For example,
if a site is graded A for dissolved oxygen
and ammonia but only grade B for BOD, then
the overall grade assigned is B.
Biology
In 2004, a third of all sites were tested
for macro-invertebrates (small animals that
can be seen with the naked eye). The range
of species found is compared with the range
that would be expected in the river if it
was not polluted or physically damaged. This
takes account of natural differences expected
due to different types of geology and flow.
One of six grades - a to f - is allocated
to each river length.
Nutrients
Samples are analysed for nitrate and orthophosphate.
Grades are assigned for each of these nutrients.
There are no set ‘good’ or ‘bad’ concentrations
for nutrients in rivers in the way that we
describe chemical and biological quality.
Rivers in different parts of the country have
naturally different concentrations of nutrients.
‘Very low’ nutrient concentrations, for example,
are not necessarily good or bad; the classification
merely states that concentrations in this
river are very low relative to other rivers.
Water Framework Directive (WFD)
Under the WFD, surface water bodies must
aim to achieve 'good' ecological status and
'good' chemical status by 2015. Groundwaters
must aim to achieve 'good' chemical status
and 'heavily modified water bodies' must aim
to achieve ‘good ecological potential’ by
the same date. In addition there must be no
deterioration at any sites, no matter what
their status is. Three six-year WFD management
cycles allow time to move towards good status
for all water bodies.
In 2004, the Environment Agency completed
a full assessment of river, lake, estuary,
coastal and groundwater bodies in England
and Wales. The Agency described the waster
environment and the human pressures upon it,
so that the risk of not meeting the objectives
of the WFD could be assessed.
The risk assessments examined a broad range
of pressures including point source pollution,
diffuse pollution, abstraction, morphological
alterations and invasive alien species. Further
information on the assessments can be found
on the Agency’s website at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wfd.
The results at this stage enable us to identify
at a high level the pressures that will need
to be further considered and where further
work is required. We are working to refine
the assessments to reduce the uncertainty
of the initial results and to support the
development of monitoring networks.
New classification schemes are being developed
by environment agencies across the UK for
the WFD. These schemes will enable us to describe
the state of the water environment and will
provide an assessment of the effectiveness
of the measures we will put in place to meet
good status. It is anticipated that when WFD
classification schemes are up and running
they will replace GQA following a period of
parallel running. We intend to carry on reporting
the Government’s Framework Indicator on Water
Quality for the foreseeable future.
