Developing a multi-pollutant conceptual framework for the selection and targeting of interventions in water industry catchment management schemes. (15th September 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bloodworth, J.W.; Holman, I.P.; Burgess, P.J.; Gillman, S.; Frogbrook, Z.; Brown, P.
• Is Part Of: Journal of environmental management. Volume 161(2015)
• Page Start: 153
• Page End: 162
• Publication Date: 2015-09-15
• Subjects: Catchment management -- Water industry -- Drinking water protection -- Conceptual framework; Environmental policy -- Periodicals; Environmental management -- Periodicals; Environment -- Periodicals; Ecology -- Periodicals; 363.705
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2015.06.050
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0301-4797

Abstract

Abstract: In recent years water companies have started to adopt catchment management to reduce diffuse pollution in drinking water supply areas. The heterogeneity of catchments and the range of pollutants that must be removed to meet the EU Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC) limits make it difficult to prioritise areas of a catchment for intervention. Thus conceptual frameworks are required that can disaggregate the components of pollutant risk and help water companies make decisions about where to target interventions in their catchments to maximum effect. This paper demonstrates the concept of generalising pollutants in the same framework by reviewing key pollutant processes within a source-mobilisation-delivery context. From this, criteria are developed (with input from water industry professionals involved in catchment management) which highlights the need for a new water industry specific conceptual framework. The new CaRPoW (Ca tchmentR isk toPo tableW ater) framework uses the Source-Mobilisation-Delivery concept as modular components of risk that work at two scales, source and mobilisation at the field scale and delivery at the catchment scale. Disaggregating pollutant processes permits the main components of risk to be ascertained so that appropriate interventions can be selected. The generic structure also allows for the outputs from different pollutants to be compared so that potential multiple benefits can be identified. CaRPow provides a transferable framework that can be used by water companies to cost-effectively target interventions under current conditions or under scenarios of land use or climate change. Highlights: Water companies must mitigate multiple pollutant risks in water supply catchments. A review of catchment processes highlights links between multiple pollutants. No current framework is able to identify and compare multiple pollutant risks. The new CaRPoW framework disaggregates and compares risks for measure selection. CaRPoW allows water companies to more effectively select and target measures.