There are basically two institutional approaches to protect groundwater quality: specific regulatory codes and planning consultation (Table 2), but the challenge of implementation in the developing world is greater because of rapid population growth and limited public awareness.
Institutional approaches to groundwater pollution protection
| Main options . | Planning consultation process . | Specific regulatory codea . |
|---|---|---|
| Procedures involved | • Regulatory agency is a formal consultee for all local government decisions and can request modifications to avoid/reduce potential groundwater pollution threat • In parallel, maps provided of APV assessment and SPA need to indicate spatial variation of concerns | • Regulatory agency has legal powers to enforce groundwater protection in priority areas • Delineation of SPAs and other vulnerable recharge zones, indicating land-use constraints as a basis for dialogue with stakeholders |
| Applicability and advantages | • Most hydrogeological conditions since APV mapping became universally applicable • Provides a clear basis for rational graduation of land-use constraints for groundwater protection | • Where water utility supply is from groundwater, and zones clearly defined where utility water-supply derived from aquifer of simple flow regime and high pollution vulnerability' • More readily understood by land owners and general public |
| Theoretical limitations | • Cautious interpretation needed in layered multi-aquifer systems • Some difficulties in covering risk of all types of potentially polluting activities | • Not readily applicable to semi-confined aquifers nor other groundwater systems for which the definition of SPAs is problematic |
| Implementation difficulties | • Potential social resistance because of land-use constraints over quite large areas and their impact on land prices • Does not address pre-existing potentially polluting activities and the difficulty of retrospective action | • Smaller land areas generally involved thus land acquisition or financial compensation feasible • BMPs for agricultural land-use not sufficient to provide the needed level of groundwater quality protection |
| Main options . | Planning consultation process . | Specific regulatory codea . |
|---|---|---|
| Procedures involved | • Regulatory agency is a formal consultee for all local government decisions and can request modifications to avoid/reduce potential groundwater pollution threat • In parallel, maps provided of APV assessment and SPA need to indicate spatial variation of concerns | • Regulatory agency has legal powers to enforce groundwater protection in priority areas • Delineation of SPAs and other vulnerable recharge zones, indicating land-use constraints as a basis for dialogue with stakeholders |
| Applicability and advantages | • Most hydrogeological conditions since APV mapping became universally applicable • Provides a clear basis for rational graduation of land-use constraints for groundwater protection | • Where water utility supply is from groundwater, and zones clearly defined where utility water-supply derived from aquifer of simple flow regime and high pollution vulnerability' • More readily understood by land owners and general public |
| Theoretical limitations | • Cautious interpretation needed in layered multi-aquifer systems • Some difficulties in covering risk of all types of potentially polluting activities | • Not readily applicable to semi-confined aquifers nor other groundwater systems for which the definition of SPAs is problematic |
| Implementation difficulties | • Potential social resistance because of land-use constraints over quite large areas and their impact on land prices • Does not address pre-existing potentially polluting activities and the difficulty of retrospective action | • Smaller land areas generally involved thus land acquisition or financial compensation feasible • BMPs for agricultural land-use not sufficient to provide the needed level of groundwater quality protection |
acould be used to reinforce the planning consultation process.
APV, aquifer (groundwater) pollution vulnerability; SPA, source protection area for utility supply; BMP, best management practice for agricultural land use.