Today, the federal cabinet followed Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks' recommendation and adopted the new ordinance on surface waters. This amended version transposes EU into national law, updating and harmonising important provisions regarding the assessment and harmonisation of the status of water bodies. The requirements for categorising a water body as having a good status, which is at the heart of water pollution control, are now harmonised across Europe. It also gives local administrations greater certainty in their decision-making. The amended version was drawn up in close cooperation with the German Working Group on water issues of the Federal States and the Federal Government (LAWA) and European bodies.
New standardised measurements across Europe were added for new substances that have occurred in water bodies only recently. The evaluation of data on water pollution was improved. This will facilitate a more efficient and swifter assessment of the relevance of chemical risks for a water body.
The list of substances that have to be measured in a water body was condensed. One hundred specific substances are no longer considered relevant and were deleted from the list. On the other hand, environmental quality standards were laid down for 12 new Europe-wide priority substances and 9 new specific pollutants. These substances are mainly plant protective agents, but also include biocides and industrial chemicals. The reference values considered admissible for chloride concentrations, and hence salinity, are now consistent nationwide.
The ordinance does not stipulate environmental quality standards for limiting the ecological risk of medicinal products, as the European Commission is currently developing a comprehensive strategy on this issue. Under the lead responsibility of the Federal Environment Ministry, the Federation is currently drawing up a separate strategy on water pollution control.
In order to counteract excessive loads of nutrients in transitional or coastal waters, the ordinance lays down new requirements for nitrogen compounds which may, for example, enter water bodies due to fertilisation in agriculture. A good ecological status of water bodies can only be achieved or maintained if these requirements are observed. It is therefore necessary to reduce nitrogen loads in river basins by up to 60 percent of current values.