EWP Water Stewardship Scheme:Guidance towards Sustainable and Effective

Response Strategies in Operational Water Management

Sabine von Wirén-Lehr(Program Coordinator)

Water Resource Efficiency Workshop, Copenhagen 16th of June 2011

- The EWP Water Stewardship scheme (EWS) has been developed within the stakeholder process of the Water Stewardship Program

- The Water Stewardship scheme operates within the context of EU Policy and will ultimately contribute to the current flagship activities of the European Commission to achieve “Resource Efficiency” and to prepare the “European Blueprint”.

Background

 

Background

European Water Stewardship

Standard (EWSS)

+ Glossary+ Guideline

Inspection and

Certification Scheme

Communication Guidelines

(under development)

EWP Water Stewardship Scheme (EWS)EWP Water Stewardship Scheme (EWS)

Reward

Life Cycle Analysis

Impacts

Volume Accounting

Management

Communication

Footprinting: understanding

Stewardship: responding

EWP Water Stewardship Program:Footprinting and Stewardship

EWP Water Stewardship Program : Benefits

Sector Benefits

Private ● Mitigation of physical water and political water risks● Preparation for WFD implementation● Profiling of corporate activities and brands● Development of new market opportunities

Public ● Support for effective policy implementation ● Scheme to pilot test at river basin level

Civil Society ● Promotion of sustainable water management ● Reduction of impacts of concern

Physical risk – Water supply and

quality

Regulatory risk – Uncertainty

Reputational risk – Social license to operate

Financial risk –Threats to the bottom

line, direct costs and investment related

Operational Risks

2009Standard Development

• Launch of WGs• Set up draft Water

Stewardship Standard

2011Implementation

• Application asbusiness case

• Pilot Studies 2nd Round

2010Validation

• Pilot Studies 1st Round

EWP Water Stewardship Program

Aquawareness Strategic Partners

Water Stewardship Partners

Governmental

Governmental

AgenciesAgencies

EuropeanEuropean InstitutionsInstitutions

ResearchResearch

Local & Regional Local & Regional InstitutionsInstitutions

Private Business

Private Business

NGOsNGOs

EWP Water Stewardship Program: Host

2009Standard Development

• Launch of WGs• Set up draft Standard

for SWM

Phase I2010Validation

• Pilot Studies 1st Round

Phase II2011Implementation

• Application asbusiness case

• Pilot Studies 2nd Round

Phase III

EWP Water Stewardship Program

Program Phase I: Focus for Standard

Sustainable Water Abstraction

Equitable Water Governance Good Water Status

High Conservation Value Areas

4 Principles

• Based on major impacts of water use• Developed and approved by 10 month multi-stakeholder process and

external experts• Pilot tested• 55 indicators:

Structure of the EWSS (v3.3)

Principles Criteria Indicators

P1 2 • 8 majors• 3 minors

P2 3 • 11 majors• 2 recommendations

P3 1 • 3 minors• 1 recommendations

P4 9 • 10 majors• 11 minors• 6 recommendations

Principle 1

Impact Water Abstraction

Principle Achieve and maintain sustainable water abstraction in terms of water quantity

Criteria ●Evaluate water abstraction from all sources:–Volume–Location–Timing–Effect

Indicator ●Classification of sources●Measuring water abstraction:–Effect on water abstraction on source–Water source flow regime issues

EWSS Structure: Principle 1

Principle 2

Impact Water Quality

Principle Ensure the achievement and maintenance of good status in terms of chemical quality and biological elements

Criteria ●Effluent quality●Affected destinations by discharge●Local issues of water quality

Indicator ●Identification of potential/actual pollutants●Main pollutants – priority substances●Effluent discharge – quality monitoring●Eutrophication potential●Sensitive areas●Local issues due to non-chemical pollution

EWSS Structure: Principle 2

Principle 3

Impact High Conservation Value (HCV) areas

Principle Restore and preserve water-cycle related HCV areas

Criteria ● Impact on changes in water status and linked ecological processes outside the natural range of variation

Indicator ●Identification of HCV areas●Identification of impacts on water status●Description of wetland habitat management efforts●Impact on other HCV areas (social, cultural, etc.)

EWSS Structure: Principle 3

Principle 4

Impact Equitable Water Governance

Principle Achieve equitable and transparent water governance

Criteria ●Compliance with legal requirements●WM in supply chain (on hold)●WM linked to management of other sources●Water efficiency●GMPs – Awareness raising – Continuous improvement●Internal/external WM transparency●Economic transparency

Indicator ●Water resource management strategy●Water Recycling strategy - Identification of water losses●Description of GMPs – Participation in RB Committees ●Dissemination of the operational water management ●Investments – Incentive systems – Environmental cost analysis

EWSS Structure: Principle 4

EWSS Example

Principle 1. Achieve and maintain sustainable water abstraction in terms of water quantity.Explanation: Sustainable Water Management shall achieve and maintain sustainable water abstraction from all sources, and maintain or restore environmental flow regime in all catchments where it has a significant influence. Therefore, the abstraction and use of water from all sources shall be evaluated by the water manager.

Criterion 1.1 The total and the net water abstraction shall be quantified and monitored by source.

Indicator.

1.1.1Major

Are all sources with a legal permit and which are used for water abstraction, fully documented and regularly updated?For example: Self-supply sources:Groundwater (specify renewable groundwater and fossil water) Surface (fresh) water (including water from wetlands, rivers, lakes or artificial and heavily modified surface water bodies)Alternative sources: Rainwater collection.Recycled water.Desalinated water.From public/private water system:Municipal water (tap, drinking, supply water).Public Water Services (PWS) = Water utilities.Other

1.1.2Major

Are all sources without a legal permit and which are used for water abstraction, fully documented and regularly updated?

1.1.3Major

Is the water volume abstracted from each source as identified above quantified, monitored and recorded?Provide a general table including:Abstracted water per year/ per sourceAbstracted water per sensitive period / per sourceAbstracted water per month / per sourceCalculate the water consumption per source: total water abstraction minus water discharge for each source.

1.1.4Major

For irrigation only: Is the water volume used for irrigation quantified, monitored and reported?Specify:Different irrigated areas or cropsWater use on a daily and monthly basis

What about Economics?

● Criterion 4.9: Economic Transparency

– Are investments for maintenance and improvement transparent and fully reported?

– Are incentive systems in place that support the implementation of SWM?

– Is an environmental cost analysis in place?

What about Efficiency?

● Criterion 4.3: Link of water management to the management of other sources

– Are the water use and energy requirements optimized and is an integrated water and energy management plan in place?

– Energy input in irrigation documented?

● Criterion 4.4: Efficiency of water consumption through the increase of recycling and the reduction of losses

– Is recycling of water implemented?

– Are water losses identified? Is there a strategy to reduce losses?

– Is water consumption per unit product quantified?

2009Standard Development

• Launch of WGs• Set up draft Standard

for SWM

Phase I2010Validation

• Pilot Studies 1st Round

Phase II2011Implementation

• Application asbusiness case

• Pilot Studies 2nd Round

Phase III

EWP Water Stewardship Program

What is the role of pilots?

StandardDevelopment

Awareness + Ownership of Water

Stewardship Approach

PilotOrganizations

Set of applicable tools and award systems

Pilot Studies: Current Status

Pilot organizations:

Industry

Agriculture

Golf

Urban Areas

2009Standard Development

• Launch of WGs• Set up draft Standard

for SWM

Phase I2010Validation

• Pilot Studies 1st Round

Phase II2011Implementation

• Application asbusiness case

• Pilot Studies 2nd Round

Phase III

EWP Water Stewardship Program

Outcome Piloting

Where are the major draw-backs / the highest innovation?

– Establishment of an integrative water management strategy

– Data documentation and monitoring according to (new) WFD requirements

– Evaluation of operational water use on river basin scale

– Involvement of HCVs

Outcome Piloting

Added value

– Identify balanced solutions / responses

– Thinking „out of the box“

– Integration of water management in operational strategy

– River basin approach

I. Provides guidance for operations’

improvement

- Gives guidance to analyze operational water management from a different perspective involving the river basin scale

- Reveals critical points and risks of operational water management

- Prepares the operation for implementation of legal requirements linked to water

II. Facilitates external

communication

- Facilitates public communication- Facilitates the link with public authorities or

water suppliers / waste water treatment services

- Provides a signal to shareholders, investors and the sector

Operational added value

Added value of Water Stewardship Assessment for pilot organizations

Contact and informationwww.ewp.eu/activities/water-stewardshipandDr Sabine von Wirén-Lehr Program Coordinator European Water Partnership (EWP)E-mail: s.von-wiren-lehr@ewp.eu