Sustainable Land Management (SLM) for the Protection of Drinking Water Sources in

Scotland

Peter Brown Water Quality Regulation Manager

Scottish Water

Stephen Field SEPA Land Unit Manager

•Scotland‘s approach to rural diffuse pollution mitigation •SEPA’s Priority catchment work

•Scottish Water’s Sustainable Land Management Project

•Scottish Government’s Hydro Nation and the Water Resources Bill

•– drinking water supply

Sustainable Land Management (SLM) for the Protection of Drinking Water Sources in

Scotland

Diffuse Pollution in Scotland

Scotland’s water quality is generally good!

Diffuse Pollution is the largest polluting pressure causing water bodies to fail WFD objectives

Main pollutants; Nutrients N and P, faecal bacteria, eroded soil, pesticides Main Sources; Agriculture, Urban green space, Forestry coal mining

The Diffuse Pollution GBRs (DP GBR) introduced in 2008 set minimum statutory requirements for anyone carrying out specific land based activities

Cover activities posing a risk to the water environment, including;

Storage and application of fertiliser Cultivation of land Keeping of livestock Surface water run-off Application of pesticides Operating of sheep dip facilities

Scotland’s Approach to DP Mitigation

National approach Catchment selection based on good science demonstrate impact, pollutant source and pathways.

Priority catchment approach -

Evidence Base

Targeted Engagement

Awareness Raising

National Approach - DPMAG

Association of Scottish Fishery Boards SEPA

Confederation of forest industries Scottish Government (Water, Land, SEARS, SGRPID)

Forestry Commission Scotland Scottish National Heritage

Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park (also representing Cairngorms National Park)

Scottish Land estates

National Farmers Union Scotland Scottish Water

Scottish Crofting Foundation Tenant Farmers Association

Scottish Environment Link (RSPB & WWF Scotland)

Priority Catchment Approach

Led by SEPA in consultation with the DPMAG Three phases – Characterisation and evidence gathering (desk based and catchment walking) Awareness Raising One to One engagement and site visits (rural diffuse pollution assessment)

Scotland’s 14 Priority catchments to 2015

South West Faecal bacteria in bathing waters & shellfish harvest waters Phosphorus levels in rivers and tributaries Nitrate levels in surface & ground waters

North East Pesticide levels in surface water identified for drinking water supply Phosphorus levels in rivers and tributaries Nitrate levels in surface and ground waters

Evidence base – catchment walking

•Evidence that Diffuse pollution is a problem in Scotland •~5015 breaches of DP GBRs recorded •75 % in relation to livestock assess to water environment •22% in relation to cultivations with 2m of top of bank

Awareness raising

Initial findings from awareness raising

• No one method suits all catchments • Buy into DP problem and attendance at events varies across the three

SEPA regions • Feedback from land managers and advisors is good • Livestock farmers clearly want on farm workshops, 3-4 hrs, during the

working day, arable land managers more inclined to attend classroom events in the evening.

• Land managers now requesting SEPA visits to discuss DP and GBRs • Term General Binding Rules (GBRs) don’t mean much to land managers

– would prefer them to be referred to as the “Rules of the land”

Other ways SEPA has used to communicate with land managers in PC

Press releases Articles in Scottish farmer - PC updates etc Articles in other organisations magazine Catchment Characterisation Reports in production for each priority catchment, and

technical summaries Radio interviews / TV interview Pod cast with SAC Text alerts from NFU and SAC Postcards for events Leaflet mail shots – equine Web page links with others Twitter

Findings 1:1 Farm visits Main findings and areas of concern

• Significant increase in the number of Cultivation within 2m of minor watercourses – totally different from catchment walk findings (x10)

• Livestock access to water environment

• Pesticide handling areas

• Oil storage 1:1 Inspection breaches (178 farms)

Pressure/ Breach

GBR 10

GBR 18

GBR 19

GBR 20

GBR 23

Oil Storage Regulations

SSAFO CAR Point Source

CAR Engineering

Other Issues (waste)

Total

Number 6 4 285 166 20 50 16 1 1 16 565

Scottish Water Key Facts

• Supply population of 4.94 million • Produce ~2000 Ml/d • 270 Water Treatment Works • Own about 70,000 acres

• Number of reservoirs – 113 • Number of lochs, rivers and burn

abstractions – 135 • Number of boreholes – 70

Investment

DWQ - Enhancement 2002 – 2006 £700m 2006 – 2010 £600m 2010 – 2015 £380m

Chart 3: Microbiological Water Quality Number of tests failed at Customers' Taps

0

25

50

75

100

125

150

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Year

Num

ber

of te

sts

faile

d

Total coliformsE.coli

Chart 4: Physical and Chemical Water Quality Compliance with Standards at Customers' Taps

92% 93% 94% 95% 96% 97% 98% 99% 100%

Turbidity

Aluminium

Iron

Manganese

Total THM

Para

met

er

% tests compliant with standards

% compliance 2008% compliance 2009% compliance 2010

What is SLM and why are we implementing it?

Sustainable Land Management in water catchments is a means to control contaminants in drinking water sources, as an alternative to new or additional treatment. We are aligning our approach to SLM with the stated objective of the Water Framework Directive – No deterioration of drinking water sources. “£3 million per year to identify and operate sustainable land management in five water catchments” (Water Industry Commission for Scotland – SR10 Final Determination).

What are the potential benefits of SLM?

• Improved drinking water quality/treatment • Net cost benefit for customers • Environmental benefit (reduce - energy, chemical, carbon) • Benefit land users e.g. save soils, save chemical inputs • Partnership working

• Demonstrates Scottish Water’s Vision to be Scotland’s most trusted and valued company.

How are we implementing SLM - Summary

Identify catchments for implementation of SLM

Identify practices resulting in an impact on water quality

Implement measures

Monitor effectiveness of measures and report + review on an ongoing basis

Identify the SLM catchments

Watercourse/ Waterbody WTW Issue

River Ugie Forehill Pesticides

River Deveron Turriff Pesticides

Lintrathen Loch Clatto Nutrients

Loch Ascog Loch Ascog Nutrients

Penwhirn Reservoir Penwhirn Colour

Lochgoin/ Craigendunton Reservoirs Amlaird Colour

Cargen boreholes Cargen Nitrates

Terregles borehole Terregles Nitrates

The SLM catchments

Identify practices resulting in an impact on water quality

1.Seconded staff to SEPA to: a) Provide a resource to work on

overlapping catchments b) Obtaining training on reading and

understanding the catchment 2.Baseline Monitoring

a) Catchment sampling programme b) Data capture on WTW

performance

3.Communications a) Local news articles b) Joint open letters to land managers c) Learning from other utility activities d) Catchment Sub-groups e) Nov SLM Conference

Identify practices resulting in an impact on water quality Ugie Catchment walk findings

Results from the Ugie Catchment monitoring (June)

Implement measures

Two Scottish Government Conditions

1) Compliance with General Binding Rules (GBRs) X

2)State Aid Rules – Incentive Scheme

SW SLM Incentive Scheme

• SW SLM Scheme • 100% or match financing • Benefit of land managers and water quality • For financing measures over and above GBR compliance • Points based system • Specific water quality problems • Funding will be capped

Implement Measures Precision Farming: Understanding soil profiles Target management and resources Nutrient analysis Yield potential Pesticide use Zone maps Capital Measures: Biobeds Spray make up & eqt washing areas Watercourse channel enhancement Grip Blocking Water Margins and Enhanced Riparian Buffer Areas Other:

Alternative plant protection products

4. Monitor effectiveness of measures and report + review on an ongoing basis Success Criteria Scorecard

Baseline data • Background information • Water quality issues • Current OPEX, any planned or potential CAPEX/OPEX • Regulatory issues • Power use/Carbon footprint • Waterbody Status • Observed land use

6 monthly assessment against baseline • Cost of SLM measures • Changes in water quality/chemical inputs to land • Environmental/third party benefits/benefits to land managers • Whole life cost / NPV Analysis

Scotland - Hydro Nation and the Water Resources Bill

• Hydro Nation Duty • Scottish Water • Modernising the Legislative Framework

-Managing Temporary Water Shortages in the Public Supply -Protecting Drinking Water Sources in the Catchment -Prescribed Substances -Septic tanks -Empty Non-domestic Customers

Proposed Legal Framework Protecting Drinking Water Sources in the Catchment

Present Situation Water (Scotland) Act 1980.

• General • No specific provision for using catchment management techniques

Proposed Way Forward Scottish Water could have powers to

• Access the land that forms part of the water catchment • Test the raw water to ascertain the source of the problem

A pro-active approach to catchment management consistent with the requirements of Water Framework Directive. Implement sustainable solutions.

•Manage Costs of capital expenditure and operational expenditure for drinking water Treatment.

•Combine catchment management for the protection of drinking waters with treatment.

THANK YOU