Current Focus
From inception in 1992, the primary focus of the group has been to ensure that Solent Bathing Waters conform to the Bathing Water Directive and this is done by administering the Solent Water Quality Awards. In 1992 there were real problems with bathing water and the Solent Water Quality Awards presented a challenge. Nowadays The Solent Water Quality Award standard to achieve a basic pass of this EC mandatory standard is not difficult, and there is a need to raise the bar. Proposals for a change in the Solent Water Quality Awards were agreed by the Water Quality Group on the 9th June 2009.
The primary focus of the Group currently is to understand and prepare for the revisions to the Bathing Water Directive (BWD). These revisions form a new approach which should be easier to follow, but have more stringent standards. They include an emphasis on beach management and a requirement to produce bathing water profiles.
The group have produced various national conferences on the the Bathing Water Directive and the new revisions and published a BWD pack in association with the Local Government Association.
At a Steering Group meeting in June 2009, the targets of the Water Quality Group were reviewed. This was needed in view of the constantly changing environment and regulations to govern it. The Group agreed to focus on the new Bathing Water Revisions as well as the Water Framework Directive (in particular the standard of water quality set for fish) and most importantly the Habitats Directive which set’s the water quality required for a range of designated habitats.
