The document discusses the role of French water agencies in implementing the Water Framework Directive. It describes how the six French water agencies were created in 1964 to manage water policies across river basins. They collect environmental taxes from various sectors and provide subsidies to municipalities and industries to invest in reducing pollution and restoring rivers. Each agency is governed by a basin committee comprising representatives from government, local authorities, and water users. The agencies lead the development of river basin management plans and measures to achieve good water status by deadlines in the Water Framework Directive. They also coordinate on transboundary water management issues.

1. Content of the presentation
1. French Water Agencies and Water financial
Scheme
2. The role of the Water Agencies for the
implementation of the WFD : illustrations
from Loire-Bretagne and Artois-Picardie
River Basin
3. Transboundary aspects

2. • Artois Picardie :
 20 000 Km2
 4 700 000 inhabitants
• Rhin Meuse :
 32 700 Km2
 4 000 000 inhabitants
• Seine Normandie :
 100 000 Km2
 17 000 000 inhabitants
• Loire Bretagne :
 155 000 Km2
 11 500 000 inhabitants
• Adour Garonne :
 116 000 km2
 6 500 000 inhabitants
• Rhône Méditerranée Corse
 130 000 Km2
 14 000 000 inhabitants
300 M€*
188 M€*
878 M€*
194 M€*
562 M€*
409 M€*
*Budget (one year)
French water agencies and water financial
scheme
2,5 billion €/year for France

3. The 6 french water agencies have been created through
the french water law of 1964, revised in 1992, 2006 and
2009
The main mission of the water agencies is to implement
the water policy, in order to meet national guidances at
basin level, by :
• collecting fees (environmental taxes) from the economic
sectors (industry, households, agriculture) who abstract water or
discharge polluted waters,
• giving subsidies or soft loans to municipalities, industrial or
agriculture unit who invest for the reduction of pollution (i.e.
waste water treatment plant, clean process,….) or restore rivers.
French water agencies and water financial
scheme

4. Households
Agriculture
Industry
Fees collected by the water agency are used to subsidise
water protection investment and operating costs
French water agencies and water financial
scheme

5. Each of the 6 french water agencies is ruled through a
basin committe (80 to 185 members) composed of
representatives from :
• State (representatives from the Ministry of Environment,
Prefect, Navigation,….) = 20%
• Municipalities and local authorities = 40%
• Users (Industry, Agriculture, Consumer, Environmental
NGO,…) = 40%
The Basin Committe votes the Masterplan (SDAGE),
the Programme (6 years action plan) and the level of
fees
French water agencies and water financial
scheme

6. • The municipalities are responsible for the water and
sanitation public services. They finance the water utilities
(with subsidies from the water agency) and the price paid
by households (and firms connected to public netweork)
has to cover the costs (investment and operating)
according to a specific law (M49). Thus the cost recovery
for water and sanitation public services is quiet high
(>95%)
• The measures targetting Industry and Agriculture can be
also subsidised by the water agency (in respect to EU
regulation).
French water agencies and water financial
scheme

7. The role of the water agencies in the Water
Framework Directive’s implementation
Lead the development of the programme of measures and
the river basin management plan (both integrated in the
revised basin’s SDAGE) :
• lead working group of stakeholders for the
identification and cost-efficiency assessment of measures
• ensure the development and dissemination of
documents
• ensure the reporting to national level (in order to
prepare EU reporting through WISE
• Take part in international districts working group

8. Key water
management issues
Description of Key
measures
Who is responsible for
the implementation of
the measures (local
authorities, industry,
agriculture)
Type of measures (law,
incentive, good practice)
Costs
Good status targeted for
2015, 2021 or 2027
Extract from the programme of measures of
Loire-Bretagne’ POM
The role of the water agencies in the WFD’s
implementation

9. 20 000 Km2
4,8 millions inhabitants
12 000 km of water
courses
95% of drinkable water
produced from aquifers
GDP : 100 billions €
GDP/inh : 22 000 € (25%
lower than the mean
value for France)
Mean water price (water
+ sanitation) paid by
households : 4,5 € per m3
River Quality Assessment
• Transboundary issues (Scheldt International District)
• high urban and diffuse pollution pressures
• past industrial activities issues
The role of the water agencies in the WFD’s
implementation

10. The transboundary aspects

11. The role of the water agencies in the WFD’s
implementation