Free Flow

[

] 123

Application of water directives

in small settlements

Professor Jovan Despotovic, University of Belgrade Faculty of Civil Engineering and Serbian National Committee

for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization International Hydrological Programme;

and Ljiljana Jankovic, CEng, University of Belgrade Faculty of Civil Engineering

ecent trends in setting national regulations for the

management of water resources are related to the

harmonization of national regulation with the Water

Framework Directive (WFD) and other sister regulations, such

is the Floods Directive and Renewable Energy Directive,

and

their implementation in everyday practice. These European

Union (EU) regulations cover all aspects of water resources,

including rivers, lakes, groundwater and transitional (estu-

arine) and coastal waters. The objectives of the regulations

include the attainment of ‘good’ status in water bodies and,

where that status already exists, ensuring that it is retained or

surpassed. All inland and coastal waters must achieve ‘good’

status by 2015, and environmental objectives and ecological

targets must be defined with the aim of fulfilling this goal. As

a result of environmental, economic and social considerations,

water environments will be able to support health and well-

being for future generations.

River basins present major units for implementation of the

WFD. Implementation of theWFD in this context actually

starts in the biggest river basin districts such as the Rhine,

Elba, Po, Seine, Danube, Sava, Hernad, Drina and other

rivers aiming at global solutions embracing vast prelimi-

nary visions, measures and ultimate solutions.

Following the assessment of ecological status and

potential, including analysis of pressures and impacts,

definition of heavily modified water bodies and others,

comprehensive plans for the monitoring of surface and

groundwater are prepared that will lead to the achieve-

ment and preservation of satisfactory ecological status.

Taking into account that many river basins belong to

more than one country, transboundary issues present

important topics for discussions and for the adoption of

common policy based on EU regulations that will lead

to mutual approval and support.

ater

ducation

and

nstitutional

evelopment

River Zasavica in Srem, Serbia. River basins present major units for implementation of the WFD

Image: Nenad Jacimovic, 2007