Implementation of Water Framework Directive in Turkey

Abstract

European Water Framework Directive (WFD) focuses on sustainable management of water resources. The main objective of WFD is to achieve “good water status”. Surface, coastal and transitional waters must achieve “good ecological and chemical status” to protect human health, water supply, natural ecosystems and biodiversity. Physical and chemical pollutions in the water resources have great importance to achieve a good chemical status. The main concern in the chemical pollution is the priority pollutants and specific pollutants. Priority pollutants to be monitored have been determined by directive 2008/105/EC of the European Parliament and the Council. On the other hand, EU Member and candidate countries have to determine pollutants which are specific to their countries based on the point and non-point sources. Moreover, there is an urgent need in determination of Environmental Quality Standards (EQS) for the listed specific pollutants. This paper summarizes the methodology used by EU countries in determination of specific pollutants for implementation of WFD. Turkey as an EU candidate country has got an action plan for the implementation of WFD to natural water. The recent studies conducted in Turkey for the implementation of WFD regarding to specific pollutants were discussed.