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Stategies for Eutrophication Control

The main objective of water resources administration is to achieve sustainable utilization and protection of freshwaters based an approach that integrates technological, socioeconomic, environmental, and human health considerations. Specific measures to prevent, control, and remediate eutrophication need to be properly planned and implemented within such a policy framework. Eutrophication management is closely related to objectives and policies dealing with prevention and control of environmental degradation caused by pollution and unsustainable use of natural resources. Appropriate strategies comprise pollution reduction-at-source, environmental impact assessments, and enforceable standards for major point-source discharges and high-risk non-point sources. Closely related strategies protect the public from illnesses attributable to contaminated water supplies by controlling disease vectors in aquatic environments. To ensure the effectiveness of pollution prevention and control programs, they need to be supported by a proper institutional and legal framework and there must be adequate access to reliable information, trained human resources, and appropriate technologies.

Pollution prevention and reduction programs

Technologies - Policies should aim to minimize and prevent pollution through the use of new technologies, pollution reduction at the source, effluent reuse, recycling and recovery, and environmentally safe disposal. In addition, policies should aim to protect watersheds by reducing degradation of their forest cover and erosion and siltation of lakes and reservoirs. Long-term and cost-efficient use of technologies, especially in developing countries, is a matter of particular concern. Sound traditional and indigenous practices should be considered when developing appropriate methods for water pollution control.

Public awarenes and participation - Participation and community awareness and involvement is another critical aspect of pollution control programs. They comprise actions fostering the education of communities about pollution related impacts, promoting environmental awareness by means of information and education programs, the promotion of public participation in planning and decision-making processes, and sensitizing the public to rational use of water and protecting water quality (see chapter 4).

Water resources assessment and monitoring - In order to develop sound pollution control programs, a comprehensive assessment of water resources is required. Programs for the systematic monitoring of surface and groundwater quantity, quality, and use, preferably organized in geographically referenced databases should be established. The monitoring of point and diffuse sources of pollution, including the utilization of chemicals in agriculture, is necessary and should be accompanied with regular surveillance to improve compliance with standards and regulations.

Training - Training programs that build expertise on water issues among government staff, water users, and decision-makers are essential. The effective protection of water resources and ecosystems from pollution requires considerable upgrading of most countriesEpresent capacities, including a minimum infrastructure and staff to identify and implement technical solutions and to enforce regulatory action.

Economic Instruments - Economic mechanisms, such as economic incentives to encourage the adoption of technologies focusing on pollution prevention, should be implemented. These kinds of mechanisms, which include property rights, water markets, fiscal and financial instruments and liability systems, are gradually becoming a substantive component of the management tools used for pollution control and water allocation decisions. By assigning an economic value to water and internalizing environmental costs into productive activities, these policies aim to develop an economic framework for environmentally sound water management. Private sector involvement is inherently related to economic mechanisms, since the majority of these are designed to provide incentives to comply with environmental regulations, improving water quality management, and reducing and preventing pollution. Chapter 3 deals with economic instruments and valuation, as well as cost-benefit analysis.

Institutional and regulatory frameworks - Central to pollution reduction programs is the development of an institutional and the regulatory framework to ensure the functional and sustainable implementation of policies and goals. It is imperative to strengthen and build technical and institutional capacity to address environmental priorities, such as pollution control, waste management and improved water quality. The improvement or building of legislative and management structures in land-use planning, coastal zone management, environmental impact assessment, and water-quality objectives are key elements of any pollution reduction program. As legal and regulatory rules are being established, it is usually more effective to begin with simple, enforceable actions rather than with complex rules that are difficult to enforce.

Coordination - In addition to institutional frameworks, the strengthening of technical and institutional capacities involves the establishment of high level mechanisms to formulate, review or update water resources policies, laws, and technical standards. This requires the establishment of mechanisms for cooperation among agencies, including those in the legal and enforcement areas, and delegation of water resources management to the lowest appropriate level, including the utilization of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and local communities.

The establishment of partnerships

The recent, large-scale privatization taking place worldwide in water treatment for public supply and in wastewater treatment can help stimulate the establishment of partnerships for management that can become another tool for the control of eutrophication. The public sector is a fundamental component of such partnerships. Universities and research institutions provide basic information, organize and improve data, and propose specific monitoring actions. The private sector can develop joint ventures and consortia with universities aiding the implementation of new and innovative environmental technologies. Community participation has the important role to criticize and offer alternatives to development plans. Without this participation a regional development plan is likely to fail. Universities need to develop strong links with the local community and to decode the scientific information for the general public. NGOs, school teachers and professional associations can assist in the process of increasing communication and awareness and improving the visibility of scientific programs and projects.

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• International Year of Forests
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