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Seminar on Integrated Water Management in the Tisza River Basin
Final Report - VI
Country Presentations of Republic of Slovakia
15. Experiences with implementation of WFD in water management planning
By Ms. Maria Vagasiova
To reach WFD objectives, IRBM has to be introduced in River Basin Districts. Appropriate administrative arrangements should be made, including designation of competent authorities to co-ordinate and supervise WFD implementation within each river basin area.
Dutch-Slovakian project on WFD
The Dutch MATRA project "Implementation of the (EU) WFD in the Slovak Republic: towards integrated water management in the Bodrog and Hornad River Basin, was carried out with the objective "To strengthen the organisational structures and the management capacities of the regional water management (River Basin Enterprises), in order for them to perform better according to EU requirements." The River Basin Enterprise of Bodrog and Hornad Region served as demonstration unit and involved Upper Hornad and Hnilec, Torysa, and Lower Hornad sub-basins of Hornad river basin. The technical problems in Hornad river basin are flood protection, water quality and drinking water.
Identified shortcomings on legislation and institutional set-up
 Existing Water Act is not appropriate as basis for integrated water management
Existing Water Act is not fully compliant with WFD
No agreement upon new Water Act proposal
No formal public and stakeholder participation procedures exist
Main WM tasks are distributed over 2 ministries (MSM&MoE)
Lack of co-operation, mutual insight in responsibilities and expertise
Many essential elements are available, but no integrated, comprehensive WM-policy exists
Lacking and inconsistent planning procedures at different levels and sectors
Inconsistent and incomplete tasks and responsibilities of authorities/organisations
Weak financing structure/competition for funds
No direct and formal communication lines to the public
International co-operation is not adequate (e.g. flood warning, monitoring)
Identified shortcomings on economy and finance
cost recovery mechanisms absent, no explicit relation interest (payment, influence)
stagnant national economy, fixed water prices
currency flow to and from water funds not clearly allocated to regional water management needs
no structural financial means for flood protection
no insight in long term trends in operating costs and investments
Identified shortcomings on water system and infrastructure
An acute shortage of drinking water resources and bad condition of irrigation constructions
Little data on groundwater quantity and quality available
High share of damaged forests, erosion and sedimentation enhance flooding risk
Weak anti-flooding infra-structure
40% of inhabitants in Hornad river basin not connected to the sewer system
Critical: Upper Hornad: Zn, coli; Torysa: N-NO2; Lower Hornad: Zn, coli and N-NO2-
Heavy metals in lake Ruzin sediment and lack of data on chemical pollution
Future drinking water intake quality criteria may not be met everywhere
Inadequate infrastructure for sewerage & wastewater treatment
'Wild' tipping of solid waste in river bed causes pollution
Effects of economic revival on water pollution are unknown
Solution strategy
Action program on short notice and long term strategy should be distinguished
To collect and choose solutions that can solve the problems stated, workshops were organised
A long list of measures was developed to solve priority problems - from very general to concrete
A short-term list of measures of the long-list was selected on water quantity, quality and protection, and on development of supply system, sewerage system, and municipal WWTP.
Conclusions
Main goal of the project was to identify existing bottle-necks in implementation of the WFD. This Matra project has contributed significantly to this. To mention some of the major points achieved:
Successful introduction of the open planning processes in the Slovak Republic
First steps to a new financial model meeting the criteria of the WFD
Awareness of the importance of WFD is now high (water managers, politicians and stakeholders
The methodology to make choices in water management by prioritising.
16. Potential agricultural pollution in the Tisza river basin and elements of agricultural policy to control it
By Mr. Radoslav Bujnovsky
Introduction:
Reduction of water resources pollution, especially groundwater, as one of the WFD primary goals
Agricultural sector, occupying almost 50% of Slovak territory, is considered as significant source of diffuse water pollution, especially groundwater
Since June 2002, the WFD is transposed into national legislation as "Water act" (No. 184/2002)
Full transposition of WFD will be in place with the new water act, that will go into force in 2004
Government decree No. 243/2003 defines vulnerable zones where nitrates exceeds permitted limit
Nitrate Directive vulnerable zones represent 62% of total country agricultural soil and 67% within Tisza river basin agricultural soil.
Illustration of inputs from agricultural sector:
Information on the loading of agricultural soil by nutrients and pesticides are presented for the year 2002 and fragmented by administrative districts
Thereinafter presented data show that loading of Tisza river basin by nutrients, livestock units is in generally lower than in western part of Slovakia and seems ecologically acceptable. Average N-rates from animal manures are deeply under the Nitrate directive limit
The relative high loading of "agricultural soil" is a reason of overestimation however available statistical data involve also chemicals used in the urban areas.
The need to improve management in agricultural sector:
Relative favourable quantitative values related to animal stocks as well as agrochemicals consumption create first precondition for improvement the water quality
Decisive factor for provision of progress in this area represents the management quality that modify the agrochemical emissions to water resources
Agricultural entity represents basic unit for provision of environmentally accepted management
Need of substantial shift of farmer role to land management in broader social and environmental aspect is still relevant
Principles of good agricultural practice (GAP) related to water protection define basic set of measures that must be respected in defined vulnerable zones without compensation
Measures define the conditions related to management of agrochemicals and manures as well as soil and crop management (e.g. maximisation of soil cover during autumn-spring period)
Principles of GAP will be incorporated into Ministry of Agriculture decree (Spring 2004)
Efficiency of GAP measures will be a matter of regular water quality monitoring. Results of that can initiatiate future modifications in GAP measures and limits
Agri-Environmental measures are proposed for Slovakian conditions, incl. a) protection against soil erosion, b) conversion of arable land on permanent grasslands, c) protection of semi-natural and natural grassland, d) non-forest wood vegetation, e) Protection of water and wetland biotopes, f) breeding and preservation of threatened animal species, and g) organic farming.
Agricultural activities and RBM:
Regarding the provision of RBM as a tool of the WFD, the focus on "water agenda" in the Slovak Republic within the Ministry of Environment has been positive since May 2003
Land use remains the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture. IRBM takes into account the interdependence of natural and human factors within a catchment
Multi-functionality in agricultural development encompass quality and sustainable use of all environmental constituents with regard to socio-economic human conditions
Agricultural policy goes through gradual changes when multifunctional character of agriculture seems acceptable from view of sustainable development
Farmers are loaded with environmentally oriented requirements. To help them, it seems appropriate to "integrate" IRBM into multifunctional agriculture. The Land Register (created for purposes of CAP) will encompass all environmental restrictions regarding farmer activities such as vulnerable zones of Nitrate Directive, water protected areas, and Natura 2000 sites
It is necessary to clarify, how IRBM can solve multifunctional land use - without prioritising of water resources and relevant habitats. It is necessary to clarify co-ordination of the IRBM with all sectors in territorial planning, respecting multifunctional and sustainable land use.
Other aspects of decreasing water pollution:
Storage capacities for manure are often insufficient due to farm transformation and division, because costs for reconstruction, existing capacities and construction new ones are relatively high.
Urban waste waters represent serious source of water pollution because at the end of 2002 only 55.3% of population was connected to sewerage system. Reconstruction of existing and new water treatment plans is necessary to achieve progress in improvement of water resources quality.
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