Rural areas face pollution issues from sources like agriculture, forestry, and septic tanks. Key pollutants include nutrients, sediment, pesticides, and pathogens. Objectives aim to achieve good water quality. Assessing current status versus objectives and potential trends under business as usual is needed to determine what actions may bridge any gaps. A hierarchy of advice, incentives, and regulation can be used to achieve objectives. New initiatives further address rural pollution problems through demonstration projects and catchment-based approaches.

1. Rural Pollution IssuesRural Pollution Issues
and progress towards solutionsand progress towards solutions
Michael PayneMichael Payne

2. Sources of rural pollutionSources of rural pollution
 AgricultureAgriculture
 ForestryForestry
 Atmospheric depositionAtmospheric deposition
 Rural housingRural housing
 Sewage worksSewage works
 Septic tanksSeptic tanks
 InfrastructureInfrastructure
- roads- roads
- railways- railways
- airports- airports
- leaking water mains and sewers- leaking water mains and sewers
 WildlifeWildlife

3. IssuesIssues
 Nutrients (N and P)Nutrients (N and P)
 SedimentSediment
 PesticidesPesticides
 Pathogens/Faecal Indicator Organisms (FIOs)Pathogens/Faecal Indicator Organisms (FIOs)
 ColourColour
 AmmoniaAmmonia
 Hydromorph.Hydromorph.
 Etc …….Etc …….

4. Rural pollution - ObjectivesRural pollution - Objectives
 Surface freshwaters – Good Ecological StatusSurface freshwaters – Good Ecological Status
 TRAC waters – Good Ecological StatusTRAC waters – Good Ecological Status
 Fresh groundwaters – Good StatusFresh groundwaters – Good Status
 Artificial and heavily modified waters – GoodArtificial and heavily modified waters – Good
Ecological PotentialEcological Potential
 Drinking Water Protection (Article 7)Drinking Water Protection (Article 7)
 Bathing Water standardsBathing Water standards
 Shellfish Water standardsShellfish Water standards
 No deteriorationNo deterioration

5. What is needed to achieve objectives?What is needed to achieve objectives?
 Assess current status – classificationAssess current status – classification
 Compare with objectivesCompare with objectives
 Any gap needs to be bridged to achieve objectiveAny gap needs to be bridged to achieve objective
 BUTBUT current status may not be stablecurrent status may not be stable
 Need to assess Business As Usual scenario (BAU)Need to assess Business As Usual scenario (BAU)
 If there is an improving trend, less action or no actionIf there is an improving trend, less action or no action
may be neededmay be needed
 If there is a deteriorating trend, more action will beIf there is a deteriorating trend, more action will be
neededneeded
 Trends are a particular issue for groundwaters: UKTrends are a particular issue for groundwaters: UK
aquifers have long response timesaquifers have long response times

6. BAUBAU
 Defra has carried out 3 BAU studies for agricultureDefra has carried out 3 BAU studies for agriculture
 Most recent was 2007 and is now datedMost recent was 2007 and is now dated
 CAP reform likely to significantly alter BAUCAP reform likely to significantly alter BAU
 BAU is a real issue: nitrate exampleBAU is a real issue: nitrate example
 Fertiliser N consumption has reduced by 40% overFertiliser N consumption has reduced by 40% over
25 years, and livestock numbers have also reduced25 years, and livestock numbers have also reduced
 Nitrate levels in surfacewaters have been fallingNitrate levels in surfacewaters have been falling
since about 2000 (pre-dating NVZ measures in mostsince about 2000 (pre-dating NVZ measures in most
areas)areas)
 NVZ measures may add to effect of industryNVZ measures may add to effect of industry
developmentsdevelopments

7. Government hierarchy of measuresGovernment hierarchy of measures
 AdviceAdvice
 IncentivesIncentives
 Regulation (last resort)Regulation (last resort)

8. Examples of AdviceExamples of Advice
 Catchment Sensitive Farming DeliveryCatchment Sensitive Farming Delivery
Initiative (Government)Initiative (Government)
 Campaign for the Farmed EnvironmentCampaign for the Farmed Environment
(Industry)(Industry)
 PLANET Nutrient Management (Government)PLANET Nutrient Management (Government)
 Tried and Tested Nutrient ManagementTried and Tested Nutrient Management
(Industry)(Industry)
 Wagrico (Water Industry)Wagrico (Water Industry)

9. Examples of IncentivesExamples of Incentives
 Environmental Stewardship (ELS and HLS)Environmental Stewardship (ELS and HLS)
(Government)(Government)
 SCAMP (Water Industry)SCAMP (Water Industry)
 Upstream Thinking (Water Industry)Upstream Thinking (Water Industry)
 Paying for ecosystem services provides basisPaying for ecosystem services provides basis
for funding, although challenging to developfor funding, although challenging to develop
comprehensive schemecomprehensive scheme

10. RegulationRegulation
 Works NoticesWorks Notices
 Water Protection ZonesWater Protection Zones
 Use of regulation where stakeholderUse of regulation where stakeholder
engagement failsengagement fails

11. Examples of new initiativesExamples of new initiatives
 Demonstration Test CatchmentsDemonstration Test Catchments
 Catchment-Based ApproachCatchment-Based Approach
 River Ray ProjectRiver Ray Project
 Defra Strategic Evidence and PartnershipDefra Strategic Evidence and Partnership
ProjectProject
 EA/NFU Single Issue Phosphate projectEA/NFU Single Issue Phosphate project

12. Modelled probability of annual
average OP concentrations in fresh
river waters being less than
ecological good status thresholds as
a consequence of diffuse source
phosphorus inputs only. 2005
Business as Usual