Case Study 1: Vesdre River Basin

Transkript

euwareness belgium
David Aubin and Frédéric Varone
David Aubin
Frédéric Varone
April 2002
Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL)
Unité de Sciences politiques et Relations internationales (SPRI)
Association universitaire de Recherche sur l'Action publique (AURAP)
Place Montesquieu, 1 boîte 7
1348 Louvain-la-Neuve
Belgium
Tel: + 32.10.47.2018
Fax: + 32.10.47.4603
Website: www.aurap.ucl.ac.be
Email: [email protected]; [email protected];
EUWARENESS is a research project on European Water Regimes and the Notion of a Sustainable Status. Research institutes
from six European countries (Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland) have been cooperating in this two year
project (2000-2002). More information is available on www.euwareness.nl. The project is supported by the European Commission
th
under the 5 Framework Programme, and co-ordinated by the University of Twente in the Netherlands.
EUWARENESS Case Study Report 1: Vesdre river basin
BELGIUM
Table of contents:
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
General description of the Vesdre river basin
Development of uses (1980-2001)
Identifying attempts towards integration: intra-cases
Discussion on the regime development at a local scale
Test of the hypotheses of the screening
D. AUBIN - F. VARONE - EUWARENESS
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Introduction
Our selection of the case study is established with a series of parameters:
- Number and types of uses (rivalries)
- Documented case (wide set of available data)
- Scale compatible with the requirements of the EUWARENESS project
- Emerging river contract (non-binding form of local concertation)
- An independant basin (no water input from upstream, opposed to an intermediary
basin, e. g. the Haute Meuse basin)
- Laboratory for protection perimeters around wells
Localised in the northeast part of Wallonia, the Vesdre basin is a combination of wide natural
areas and densely populated industrial areas. It faces strong pollution problems in the river
Vesdre and some of its tributaries.
Following the more legal and functional regime approach done in the country screening, we
now take a user approach in our case study. Using a bottom-up approach, we start from a
local identification of the different water uses. We try to see how these uses are regulated,
according to the regional legislation or on a more informal basis. We select four particular
rivalrous uses that led to conflicts now overcome. We then replace the intra-cases in the
broader analysis of the regime and its institutional arrangement at local scale.
I.
General description of the water basin
We stress the particularities of the Vesdre river basin. We present elements of geography and
hydrology, including the pollution problem.
1.1
1.1.1
Geographical aspects
Human geography
The Vesdre river basin is located in the northeast part of the Walloon Region, in the Province
of Liège. The Province of Liège, a former principauté, is the area surrounding the city of
Liège. Liège is about 90 kilometres east from Brussels. The Province of Liège is bordering
the Flemish Province of Limbourg, the Dutch region of Maastricht and the German region of
Aachen in the North. The East part is bordering Germany, and the South part the Walloon
provinces of Namur and Luxembourg.
Map 1: Identification of the Vesdre Basin in Wallonia
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Source: DGRNE, Etat de l’environnement wallon 2000
The river basin is a well-defined entity in Wallonia. The Region is divided in 14 river basins,
which are in fact tributary river basins of either the Escaut or the Meuse. The demarcation of
the river basins was quite simple to determine. They follow the watersheds (lignes de crête).
The territory of each river basin is defined in a legal document1.
The Vesdre river basin covers an area of 710 km² and is made up of two main rivers, the
Vesdre (71 km long) and the Hoëgne (29 km long), a tributary. The basin covers parts of the
territory of two arrondissements (Verviers and Liège) and 27 municipalities (see map 1).
Along the Vesdre, from the source to the confluent, are set the municipalities of Raeren,
Eupen, Baelen, Limbourg, Dison, Verviers, Pepinster, Olne, Trooz, Chaudfontaine and Liège.
The three main cities of the basin are Eupen, Verviers and Liège, all located along the Vesdre
river. The last is only partly comprised. Along the Hoëgne and Wayai, we find the
municipalities of Spa, Jalhay and Theux. Other municipalities have parts of their territory
included in the basin: Waimes, Malmédy, Stavelot, Lontzen, Welkenraedt, ThimisterClermont, Herve, Soumagne, Fléron, Beyne-Heusay and Sprimont.
The basin is densely populated (see table 1) but quite unequally. Population and activities are
concentrated along the Vesdre between Eupen and Liège. The sole exception is Spa. However
the average density of the basin (428.99 inhab./km²) is much higher than the average density
of Wallonia (196 inhab./km²) and Belgium (333 inhab./km²). Thus the density is high in spite
of wide natural areas in the southeast. Actually, the remaining part of the territory is covered
by forests and grazing areas.
1
AGW 03.02.2001, not yet published
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Liège is the biggest town included in the basin with 189'510 inhabitants. However only a tiny
part is inside (4.2% of the territory). Even if this area has the highest density (2’480.42
inhab./km²), the town which will focus our attention the most is Verviers. Verviers is set
entirely along the river Vesdre and accounts 53'620 inhabitants (1/4 of the population of the
basin). The other municipalities of great concern in our study are: Chaudfontaine, Dison,
Eupen, Pepinster, Spa and Theux. The limits of the communes don’t fit with the limits of the
sub-basins. Some municipalities are involved in two or more sub-basins, e.g. Chaudfontaine.
The Vesdre basin comprises a wide set of activities. Forest occupies 43.9% of the surface,
mainly in the eastern and southern-eastern parts, and agriculture 32.1%, mainly in the north
and west. The remaining part of the territory (24%) is occupied with housing and industry.
Industrial zonings are mainly concentrated around Eupen and Verviers. The basin is crossed
by two motorways, one north going from Brussels to Köhln (E 40), the other one the northsouth axis from Verviers to Fließem (E 42).
The production sector represents 25.6% of the regional activities (hand-made in traditional
sectors and medium-sized enterprises in steel, paper, chemical products, food & textile).
Agriculture is specialised in market gardening (fruits) and breeding (milk production).
Meadows represent 89.3% of the agricultural surface area. Others activities are grouped
around the notion of leisure: tourism, recreational areas, bathing, water cures (Chaudfontaine
& Spa), fishing, camping sites, natural park of the Hautes Fagnes2, etc. Extraction activities,
geothermal pumping, military areas, air base can also be considered.
Table 1 : Population in the Vesdre basin
Municipality
Aywaille
Baelen
Beyne-Heusay
Chaudfontaine
Dison
Eupen
Fléron
Herve
Jalhay
Liège
Superficies
(km²)
79,7
85,7
7,2
25,7
14,1
96,2
13,7
56,7
106,9
68,7
%age located Superficies
inside the
inside the
basin
basin (km²)
0,90
100,00
27,80
71,00
100,00
92,40
61,90
44,80
99,50
4,20
0,7
85,7
2,0
18,2
14,1
88,9
8,5
25,4
106,4
2,9
Population
(total) in
1996
9.755
3.669
11.474
20.657
13.954
17.304
15.781
16.204
7.098
189.510
Population
inside the
basin
0
3.669
1.890
15.580
13.954
17.304
8.034
10.916
7.000
7.157
Density
(inhab./km²)
inside the
basin
0,00
42,81
944,24
853,84
989,65
194,67
947,37
429,74
65,81
2.480,42
2
The natural reserve of the Hautes-Fagnes-Eifel is classified in IUCN Category IV (managed nature reserve) and
has had Council of Europe certification since 1966. It is confirmed both by the application decree of 31.05.78
and the regional decree of 16.07.85 about natural parks (M.B. 12.12.85). It totalises 67'850 ha and a half of it is
inside the basin. Some municipalities of the basin are involved : Baelen, Eupen, Jalhay, Malmédy, Raeren,
Stavelot and Waimes. The natural park is managed with a management plan by a management commission that
is led by the Province of Liège.
The Vesdre basin possesses two certified natural reserves (private reserves) and 6 domanial natural reserves
(public) managed by the Region (DGRNE-DNF).
Four other natural parks are located in Wallonia: Vallées de la Burdinale et de la Méhaigne, Vallée de l’Attert,
Plaines de l’Escaut and Pays des Collines). The total protected area is around of 142’812 ha (8.5% of the
regional territory), following the decree of 1985 (Source: Région wallonne, L’Etat de l’Environnement wallon,
2000, pp. 234-240).
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Limbourg
Lontzen
Malmédy
Olne
Pepinster
Raeren
Soumagne
Spa
Sprimont
Stavelot
Stoumont
Theux
ThimisterClermont
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24,6
29,0
100,6
15,9
25,0
72,5
27,2
39,7
74,7
85,0
108,8
83,3
28,7
100,00
8,00
10,40
100,00
100,00
35,80
46,60
96,80
29,50
2,70
0,03
92,40
25,60
24,6
2,3
10,5
15,9
25,0
26,0
12,7
38,4
22,0
2,3
0,0
77,0
7,3
5.358
4.828
10.841
3.634
9.129
9.531
14.335
10.384
12.115
6.526
2.859
10.710
4.840
5.358
225
0
3.634
9.129
386
8.865
10.000
2.443
0
0
10.710
926
217,80
96,98
0,00
228,55
365,16
14,87
699,40
260,22
110,86
0,00
0,00
139,15
126,03
Trooz
Verviers
Waimes
Welkenraedt
24,4
32,8
97,3
24,5
100,00
100,00
16,40
75,00
24,4
32,8
16,0
18,4
7.643
53.620
6.338
8.705
7.643
53.620
0
7.850
313,24
1.634,76
0,00
427,21
For the whole
basin
1.448,6
48,90
708,3
486.802
206.293
428,99
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1.1.2
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Physical geography
The Vesdre river basin is located in the Haute Belgique. The Vesdre takes its sources (9
sources) at the uttermost ends of the basin in the Fagnes de Steinley3 at the altitude of 625 m.
It flows into the Ourthe, a tributary of the Meuse that flows immediately into the Meuse, in
Chênée (Liège), at an altitude of 65 m.
The basin is bordered east by the Roer basin, south by the Amblève basin, west by the Ourthe
and lower Meuse basins and north by the Berwinne and Gueule basins. The Vesdre crosses
the German border for a few kilometres. The first 50 km of its stream are located in wild
natural areas. The river forms an oligotrophic lake (126 ha) at the dam of Eupen that
constitute an important reserve of drinking water (25 mio m³).
The tributaries of the river Vesdre are too numerous to be enumerated here. Some of them, i.e.
some ruisseaux don’t even have a name. There are more tributaries on the left bank than on
the right bank (see table 2). The Vesdre receives its first tributary, the Helle, in Eupen. The
Gileppe, another important tributary, flows in it in Verviers. The dam of the Gileppe, right
above Verviers, provides drinking water to the most part of the town.
Table 2 : Main rivers of the basin
Name
Vesdre
Helle
Gileppe
Hoëgne
Wayai (sub-tributary)
Magne
Bank
Length (km)
Left
Left
Left
Left
Right
72,5
21
12
29
19
15
Altitude
Source
625
665
615
570
560
260
Fall (%)
Superficies of
the river basin
(km²)
Meeting
point
65
265
220
135
180
95
0,8
1,9
3,3
1,5
2,0
1,1
710
72
38
207
89
42
The Vesdre river basin is composed of two sub-basins, divided in hydrographic zones
according to a regional codification:
- Vesdre : zones 560 to 569 (10 zones)
- Hoëgne : zones 550 to 554 (5 zones)
To be identified, each stream receives a single code of six numbers following this
classification. For instance, the Gileppe has the code 564300.
The tributaries, mainly coming from the right bank, i.e. the Gileppe, the Helle and the
Hoëgne, have much smaller hydrological basins. The Hoëgne, including its main tributary, the
Wayai, constitutes the south part of the Vesdre basin. Its hydrological basin is two times less
important than the one of the Vesdre. The total length of the streams that flow down the
Vesdre basin is 1417 km. The entirety of the stream of the Vesdre is classified as a nonnavigable river (CENN). In the past, the Vesdre was navigable until Olne with special local
types of plate boats.
3
The data is due to M. Jacques Tonneau, co-ordinator of the Vesdre river contract and to the Association des
Communes du Bassin de la Vesdre asbl
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Geological aspects and landscape in the basin. The synclinorium of Verviers, the main
tectonical unit of the Vesdre basin is divided in three sub-units: the massif of Herve in the
northwest, the massif of the Vesdre in the centre and the massif of Theux in the south. From
its source to Eupen, the Vesdre crosses rocks formed of quartzite and phyllades, poor in
calcium (limestone). The depletion of such rocks gives rise to clay (argile), that enables the
forming of peat bogs (tourbières), i.e. some particular kind of wetlands. These rocks have
veins of zinc minerals (calamite and smithsonite) containing impurities (by-products of
cadmium, cobalt, copper, iron and manganese) and also iron minerals (pyrites). Afterwards,
the river crosses grounds formed with sandstone (grès) and quartzophyllades. The rocks of
the medium and upper devonian period, richer in limestone (calcaire) do not appear before
Membach. The tributaries of the right bank (Magne, etc.) of the Vesdre bring also dissolved
limestone, following the crossing of carboniferous limestone (calcaires carbonifères). Such
an effect is less happening on the left bank where ground is composed mainly of cambroordovicians rocks.
This phenomenon of dissolving enables to classify the Vesdre in categories according to the
pH of the waters :
- The upper Vesdre is of Fagnard type (type Fagnard): acid water (soft water), little
mineralised, unpropitious to diversity of aquatic fauna and flora;
- The middle part (between Eupen and Membach) has acid to neutral water, with a
better ionic equilibrium. It is of the Ardennes type (type ardennais);
- Downstream of Membach, water becomes richer in calcium and bicarbonates ions.
Thus the environment is more propitious to the development of varied aquatic fauna
and flora (pH neutral). It is the Condruzien type (type condruzien, i.e. the type of the
region of Condroz).
Le bassin de la Hoëgne est composé dans sa partie amont de quartzites et de phyllades. Dans
sa partie centrale, apparaissent les roches du Dévonien (grès et schistes). Des roches
calcaires affleurent seulement à partir du village de Polleur. On observe dans la partie aval
une curiosité géologique : la fenêtre de Theux. Cette ouverture visualise la faille Eifelienne
qui met en contact deux reliefs de directions et de formes différentes. Les terrains apparus
sont d’origine dévonienne et carbonifère (calcaire et dolomie) et forment, par érosion
différencielle, une succession de crêtes et dépressions4.
Landscape. En amont se trouvent les Fagnes, qui concentrent la majeure partie du tourisme
dans la région. On trouve au nord de la Vesdre les paysages de bocages et de pâturages du
Pays de Herve. Au sud, le paysage est de type ardennais (à partir de Fraipont). Le long de la
Vesdre, le paysage est perturbé par une quantité très importantes de chancres industriels,
vestiges d’une activité indsutrielle intense dans le passé.
1.2
Hydrological aspects
Here we present some characteristics of the water cycle in the basin and hydrogeological data.
We also give an interest to hydrological characteristics of the main streams of the Vesdre
basin.
4
Sources : ACBV, 1999 and DGRNE, 1999
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Water cycle
Climate and pluviometric. La Région wallonne appartient au domaine des climats tempérés
des latitudes moyennes. Située sur la marge orientale de l’Océan atlantique, elle subit un
climat tempéré de type océanique, caractérisé par une circulation atmosphérique dominante
d’ouest. With such a climate, Wallonia benefits important rainfalls, i.e. 15-16 bio m³/year. In
the Vesdre basin, the situation is highly contrasted. It rains 1400 mm per year on the plateau
of the Hautes Fagnes, but only 750-800 mm in Liège (see table 3). 40 to 45% of the rainfalls
directly evaporates in the atmosphere and 4% reaches aquifers.
Table 3 : Average rainfalls in various places of the Vesdre basin
Place
Pluviometric (mm or liter per m² per year)
Plateau of the Hautes-Fagnes
Eupen
Pepinster
Chaudfontaine
Liège
1400
1200
1000
800-850
750-800
Hydrogeology. Le massif schisto-gréseux du Dévonien et du Cambrien couvre la majeure
partie du bassin de la Vesdre (see map 3). Il ne possède que des nappes superficielles à faible
capacité de réserve qui se rechargent et se déchargent rapidement ; vite saturées en hiver,
elles se trouvent régulièrement à sec après une longue période sans précipitations. Elles sont
néanmoins sollicitées pour un débit non négligeable, car elles constituent fréquemment la
seule disponibilité locale. Elles sont très vulnérables aux pollutions et aux étiages.
Cependant, le massif schisto-gréseux de la Vesdre est entrecoupé de bandes calcaires du
Dévonien et du Carbonifère. Ces nappes sont plus abondantes et constituent des réserves à
plus long terme. Ce type de nappe peut, en effet, stocker les eaux de pluie de plusieurs
saisons. Le nord-ouest du bassin, le Pays de Herve, est également occupé par une alternance
de craies du Crétacé et de calcaires du Dévonien et du Carbonifère en nappes captives qui
offrent elles-aussi des ressources abondantes. Les craies du Pays de Herve sont des roches
imperméables, mais parcourues de fissures. L’eau y circule rapidement, mais à très faible
débit.
1.2.2
The river Vesdre and its tributaries
The Vesdre river basin is a tributary of the Meuse, the main river of Wallonia. 4.5 bio m³/y.
enter Wallonia as surface water. The global flow of the Meuse is about 12 bio m³. 12’000
rivers flow in Wallonia, through four basins : the Meuse (12,236 km², 3/4 of the territory), the
Escaut (1/5 of the territory), the Moselle and the Oise. Surface water covers approximately
0.7% of the territory. The Meuse receives water from around 15 tributaries. Its flow is quite
irregular. It fluctuates from 1 to 100 throughout the year.
Hydrology. La Vesdre est une rivière à régime torrentiel, dont le débit est fortement influencé
par le niveau des précipitations. Son débit moyen, observé sur 10 ans (1986-1996) est de
10.65 m³/s.. Il a été enregistré par la station limnimétrique de Chaudfontaine, la plus en aval
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du bassin. Le minimum observé sur cette période fut de 2.07 m³/s.; le 20 août 1996, et le
maximum de 165.85 m³/s., le 22 décembre 1991. Les débits anormalement élevés ont
provoqué des inondations dans la partie aval du bassin de la Vesdre (Vaux-sous-Chèvremont,
commune de Chaudfontaine) ainsi que sur le trajet d’affluents (la Magne). Le bassin de la
Vesdre est compact, l’eau ruisselée atteint rapidement l’exutoire. La Meuse reçoit
annuellement environ 336 mio m³ en provenance du bassin de la Vesdre.
La pente moyenne de la Vesdre est de 0.8%. Elle est importante sur les 17 kilomètres qui
séparent les sources du barrage d’Eupen (de 625m. à 360 m., pente de 1,9 %). Ensuite le
parcours de la Vesdre compte une pente de 1.3% sur 9 kilomètres puis de 0.4% de Membach
à Chênée, au confluent de l’Ourthe.
Figure 1 : Fall of the Vesdre
700
Source
600
Chênée
Chaudfonaine
100
Trooz
Olne
Pépinster
Verviers
200
Dison
300
Limbourg
Lake
400
Membach
Eupen
Height (m)
500
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
Distance (km)
Source: ACBV, 1999
According to the typology defined in the Law of 1967 about the non-navigable rivers5, always
in force, we can divide the total lenght of the streams up among three categories: 104 km of
the 1st category of NNR, 225 km of the 2nd category, 259 km of the 3rd category and 829 km
of unclassified streams. The last are mainly private water.
1.3
Pollution problems6
The pollution of the Vesdre is very old. It comes from the 19th century. The basin has a long
industrial history: wool industry in Verviers and metallurgy downstream. Old pollution
residues are still present in part. In particular, one finds a strong case of soil pollution with
heavy metals (lead and cadmium) on the left bank of the Vesdre in Prayon (Trooz). The
pollution is due to the smoke residues of a former plant. This kind of pollution is long to wipe
out (effacer).
5
Classement en 1ère catégorie (law of 1967): la Helle depuis le confluent avec la Soor à Membach/Baelen
jusqu’à la Vesdre à Eupen, la Hoëgne depuis le confluent avec le ruisseau de Dison à Jalhay jusqu’à la Vesdre à
Pepinster et le Wayai depuis le confluent avec le ruisseau de Winamplanche à Spa jusqu’à la Hoëgne à Theux.
6
Source : DGRNE, 1999, pp. 16-21. ACBV, 1999, p. 39.
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De nombreux travaux montrent que la situation de la Vesdre peut être qualifiée de très grave
au début des années 1980. Les éléments de pollution organique augmentent vers Eupen et ne
subissent qu’une très faible auto-épuration en aval de la rivière à Chênée. Dans la même
période, d’autres études confirment de fortes pollutions de la Vesdre par des métaux lourds
(cuivre, plomb, zinc, chrome, cadmium). Au début des années 1980 encore, les indices
biotiques montrent une pollution maximale à forte (rivière eutrophisée) depuis Membach
jusque Vaux-sous-Chèvremont, avec une faible récupération à Chênée.
Des études plus récentes (1989 et 1996) montrent également la pollution élevée de certains
affluents (Stadtgraben, Bach, Ru de Dison, Rus du Ruif, Ru de Baelen, la Waltinne et la
Magne), surtout en fin de parcours (Gélouri, ruisseau du Fond des Cris).
At source, the Vesdre river is going through wild natural areas on its first 50 kilometres. It is
not polluted in this part, but water is charged with humus materials (matières humiques). The
town of Verviers is the main source of pollution (domestic plus industrial wastewater). The
part between Verviers and Pepinster is the most polluted of the basin. The last part between
Trooz and Chaudfontaine is highly polluted too. The combination of a high density of
population and remaining industrial activities in the lower part of the river induces strong
quality problems of surface water.
Physical-chemical quality. Situés en zones forestières non habitées, les têtes de bassin (hauteVesdre, Helle, Gileppe) et les principaux affluents sont de très bonne qualité. Les exutoires
peuvent voir leur qualité se détériorer un peu. Pour ce qui est du cours d’eau principal, la
qualité se détériore rapidement dès la sortie d’Eupen. La traversée de Verviers contribue à la
détérioration et la situation du cours d’eau à la confluence avec l’Ourthe est très mauvaise.
Amélioration en 1986 et 1996. Pollution organique de la Gileppe à Jalhay qui n’est plus
enregistrée par la suite. La qualité physico-chimique de l’eau sur le cours inférieur de la
Vesdre passe d’une qualité moyenne en 1986 à bonne en 1996. La pollution organique reste
relativement constante (forte à modérée). En ce qui concerne le degré d’eutrophisation, la
rivière passe d’eutrophe à méso-eutrophe en aval d’Eupen et à la confluence avec l’Ourthe.
Biological quality. At the downstream of Spa (sub-basin 552), the indice biotique global was
bad in 1985-89 and is medium today. Mauvaise qualité récurrente entre 1985 et 1996. Niveau
moyen de la Hoëgne à la confluence avec la Vesdre. Bonne qualité des autres affluents.
Bonne qualité de la Vesdre jusqu’en aval d’Eupen où elle devient mauvaise.
The major problems identified are:
- A generalised eutrophation of the Vesdre from Eupen to the Ourthe.
- A strong organic pollution of the Vesdre downstream to Eupen
- A medium to bad hydrobiological quality in the Vesdre downstream to Eupen, in the
Wayai downstream to Spa and in the Gileppe
- A generalised worsening of the Vesdre itself following a long history of urban and
industrial pressures.
The Vesdre river basin is a basin with varied characteristics and a strong human pressure. We
find a diversity of water uses on it, not exempts of rivalries. Some conflicts are resolved
locally, using the legislation in force.
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II.
BELGIUM
Development of uses
As we specified earlier, the approach retained in the case study is at the opposite of the one
used in the country screening. The first starts from effective uses of water in a delimited area
and period. It is a bottom-up analysis. The second started from enacted pieces of legislation.
With it we deducted uses through the outputs of the law (top-down approach).
Our intention in this part is to identify the different uses according to the EUWARENESS
classification of goods and services. With the uses we observe in a second part conflictual
uses that gave rise to rivalries or even conflicts throughout the period. Most of them seem
now to be overcome, but new one could appear in a present future. From uses we describe the
different users, stress the rivalries and particularly examine four intra-cases. Finally, we
present an aggregate view of the uses in the basin.
2.1
Water uses involved
In the first part we present the different uses of water inside the Vesdre river basin (see table
4). We describe the use, users and actors for each good and service involved.
2.1.1
Living environment
Little is to say about living environment (G&S 1). The final users of G&S 1 are fauna and
flora. No data are available about their water consumption. They don’t create any problem for
other users. Most human activities threat fauna and flora. In the 1980s, the problem of
industrial water, residues of ores and domestic wastewater is more present. The pressure on
nature diminishes gradually.
Some areas of the basin are protected as nature conservation areas. But this is not directly
related with water. Rivers in southeast of the basin are pure, but not much fauna lives inside.
Fishes cannot live in acid water (soft water). The low pH is explained by geological factors
(see supra). An important fish life is present in the lower part of the Hoëgne-Wayai sub-basin.
In the lower part of the Vesdre, fish hasn’t lived for a century, because of strong pollution
problems. Since 1995, the use of the Vesdre as living environment is re-emerging gradually.
The function of living environment is interesting indirect human users, who make pressure for
a greater concern of the problem. They are fishers and professional of the tourist sector.
2.1.2
Consumption
Consumption in the Vesdre basin comes from ground and surface water. Users are numerous
(households, industries and farmers) and unevenly distributed throughout the basin. They are
provided quasi exclusively with public producers and providers that are the Société wallonne
des Eaux (SWDE) for the most part of the basin and the Compagnie intercommunale liégeoise
des Eaux (CILE) that provides the communes of Beyne-Heusay, Chaudfontaine, Fléron, Liège
and Trooz. Furthermore, some municipalities have an independent water supply service:
Dison, Jalhay, Limbourg, Malmédy and Theux.
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BELGIUM
Table 4 : Water uses and rivalries in the Vesdre river basin
N° Goods &
services
1 Living environment
Types of
uses
Users
Complementary
use
Competitive
use
Direct
Fauna &
flora
Nature
All
conservatio
n
Indirect
Tourism
Fishers
Households
Industries
Farmers
Problems
1980
2000
Pollution
Pollution
from
industrial
water,
absorption
and gravel
extraction
Pollution
Industrial
water
Mineral water
Hydro-power
Spreading
None
None
Living
3 Production Industrial
Surface and Paper
environment
water
groundwater, Agro-food
tourism
direct use
Metallurgy
Fishing
Textile
Recreation
Warming
Mineral
Groundwater, Spa
Living
Drinking water Pollution
water
direct
Monopole
environme Absorption
Chaufontaine nt
Fishing
Monopole
Agriculture Indirect,
Farmers
None
Living
None
spreading of
environment
manure
Drinking water
Pesticides
4 Energy
Dams
Direct,
MET
Drinking
Strategic
None
surface water ERPE
water
reserves
Water
Direct,
Private
None
Transport
None
turbines
surface water producers
Fishing
2 Consumption
Direct,
surface and
groundwater
5 Transport & absorption
Direct,
indirect,
discharges
6 Support
Gravel
extraction
Fishing
Indirect,
Gralex
surface water
Indirect,
Fishers
surface water Pisciculture
Tourism
Indirect
Tourists
Water
sports
Direct
Canoeists
8 Medical
uses
Direct,
groundwater
9 Protection
Indirect
SPADEL
Château
d'Hauster
Riparian
7 Recreation
10 Strategic
reserves
Households
Industries
Farmers
Direct, surface MET
water
10/03/03 - 13:03
None
None
Living
environment
Fishing
Tourism
None
Living
environment
Living
Industrial
environme water
nt
Absorption
Recreation
Living
Production
environme Absorption
nt
Tourism
Fishing
Living
environment
Mineral
Absorption
water
Tourism
None
Living
environment
None
Drinking water
Energy
Scarcity of
groundwat
er
Pollution
None
Pollution
None
None
None
Unidentifie
d floating
objects
None
None
None
Industrial
pollution
None
Pollution
Pollution
Pollution
Minimum
flows
None
Pollution
None
Flooding
Flooding
Drought
None
13
BELGIUM
Table 5: Withdrawals in aquifers in the Vesdre basin, 1992
Type of aquifer
Volume withdrawn
(in thousand m³)
Undifferenciated Cretaceous of the region of
345
Herve
Chalks of the region of Herve
514
Carboniferous limestone of the massif of the
1976
Vesdre
Devonian limestone of the massif of the Vesdre
816
Schistose-sandstone massif of the Vesdre basin
134
Total for the basin
3785
Total withdrawn in Wallonia
358900
Source : DGRNE, services des Eaux souterraines, in Atlas de l'Eau de la Wallonie, 1995
Withdrawals in groundwater. As we’ve seen earlier, in most parts of the basin aquifers are
superficial and have not important reserves. In 1992, 3'785'000 m³ were withdrawn in the
Vesdre basin (see table 5). This represents 1.2% of the total withdrawn in Wallonia
(358'900’000 m³). In 1995, the number of wells in the Vesdre basin is 135 over 2'859 in
Wallonia. The drinking water sector withdraws 1'683 300 m³ from groundwater in 1995, with
46 wells and 1'364'278 m³ with 49 wells in 1997. The volume of withdrawals in the drinking
water sector is decreasing over a short period whereas the number of wells rises. It is however
not enough to conclude to shortages compensated with the digging of more wells. The main
part of drinking water in the Vesdre is provided with surface water retained in dams and it has
over-capacities. We observe however a strong increase in private withdrawals (per 3 in two
years). It could be explained by a rising number of declared wells to the regional authorities.
Table 6 : Withdrawals in groundwater in the Vesdre Basin, by sector, 1995-1997
Sector
1995
Number of wells Volume
(thousands m³)
1997
Number of wells Volume
(thousands m³)
Water
distribution
46
1683,3
49
1364,3
Production of
mineral water
54
1863,9
67
1161,4
Industry,
agriculture,
households
35
215,2
54
621,5
Total
135
3762,4
170
3147,2
Source: DGRNE, 1999
Thus very little groundwater is withdrawn in the Vesdre basin compared to the whole region
where groundwater reserves are estimated to 550 mio m³. However, we remark that the basin
is characterised by a huge number of wells aimed at the production of mineral water sold in
bottles. Two private companies exploit these wells: Spa Monopole and Chaudfontaine
Monopole.
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BELGIUM
The wells of Spa Monopole and Chaudfontaine Monopole afford for the main part of private
wells. They are concentrated in determined areas, where the ground possesses specific
geological characteristics. Public wells are more disseminated. Most of them are exploited by
the SWDE and some by municipal water distribution services. The pressure on poor and small
aquifers is due to the distribution sector. Mineral water producers fear no shortages in
provision. So, except for the provision of mineral water, groundwater is rare in the Vesdre
basin, sometimes overexploited. The volume withdrawn is quite stable and represents only a
small part of the needs in drinking water.
Surface water. Surface water is produced from two dams. One dam cuts the stream of the
Vesdre above Eupen, the Vesdre’s dam. The other is on a tributary of the Vesdre above
Verviers, the Gileppe’s dam. Production of drinking water from the dams is obviously above
production from groundwater. In 1997, the Entreprise de Production et de Grands Transports
d’Eau (ERPE) produced 23'571'919 m³ of drinking water from the Vesdre’s dam and
3'255'525 m³ from the Gileppe’s dam. 23% of the production of the Vesdre’s dam is exported
out of the basin. The capacities of the dams are neatly higher than the needs. The dams
provide also industrial water and produce hydro-electricity.
Meanwhile, some parts of the basin are provided with water coming out of the basin. It is the
case for communes close to Liège or communes on the border and on the highest places of the
basin. The total consumption of drinking water in 1997 in the basin is the following:
Table 7: Consumption in the Vesdre basin, per sector, 1997.
Users
Volume (thousand m³) %
Households
Industry
Farmers
18120
10760
560
61.5
36.5
1.9
Total
29440
100.0
Domestic consumption is clearly at the first place. It is mostly provided with surface water.
The water produced by the ERPE, a daughter company of the SWDE since 01.01.2001, is
sold after treatment to distribution companies (SWDE, CILE and communal services). The
SWDE is the dominant provider in the basin. It expanded until recently with the purchasing of
communal distribution services. For instance, the service of Verviers, the main town of the
basin, was purchased in 1991. Municipalities have difficulties to finance the renewals of
networks, and more particularly, the replacing of pipes in lead. The problem to tackle leaks
(fuites) with the rising of the price of water is also central. Over the twenty-year period, the
use of drinking water stabilises and even lightly declines.
2.1.3
Production
The good and service production is divided in three categories: industrial water, i.e. water
used in the production process, production of mineral water and agricultural uses. Most part
of the consumption of water inside the basin is not a final use, but is represented by mineral
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15
BELGIUM
water producers that bottle water. 92.1 % of groundwater withdrawn by industry (over 2’087
mio m³ in 1995)7 is bottled.
In industry, water is used foremost for cooling (thermal impact on water), washing and
preparation of raw material. Water is supplied by distribution, rainwater, groundwater and
surface water. The provision of water for industrial use is assured mostly with surface water
and drinking water (see tables 8 and 9).
Table 8: Industrial purchasing in the Vesdre basin, 1996
Hydrological Industrial purchasing in (m³/year)
basin
Distribution Surface
Groundwater Rain
550
551
552
553
554
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
Total
Total
0
0
1.718
0
615
0
560
0
0
380
675.001
3.556.850
59.777
28.194
37.427
0
0
534.000
0
0
0
22.638.336
0
0
5.681.773
1.808.873
0
58.232
240
100.080
0
0
637.053
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
232.919
8.980
92.647
26.845
781.896
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
265
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.172.771
0
615
0
22.638.896
0
0
5.682.153
2.717.058
3.565.830
210.656
55.279
919.403
4.360.522
30.821.534
1.780.340
265
36.962.661
Source: DGRNE, direction de la Taxe et de la Redevance, in DGRNE, direction des Eaux de Surface, Projet de
plan de gestion des eaux de surface du bassin de la Vesdre, tomes 1, 2 et 3, juin 1999
The data from the region includes in industrial water the water produced by the ERPE that is
sold as drinking water (sub-basins 561 and 564). Industrial uses of water are concentrated
around Eupen (561), Verviers (565) and downstream. The sectors are manifold: paper, agrofood, metallurgy, textile and urban warming. About the uses, less than 1% of industrial water
is used for domestic purposes, 6.1% for cooling, 13.4% are used in the production process and
the main part, 79.9%, are either included in the final product or sold to water distribution
companies by the ERPE. Industrial activities declined smartly in the 1980s and the
reconversion of the basin from heavy industries to services is difficult. The decline of the
wool industry in Eupen and Verviers diminished sharply the needs in industrial water.
7
Source : DGRNE, 1999
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BELGIUM
Table 9 : Industrial and agricultural uses in the Vesdre basin, 1996
Hydrological Industrial use (m³)
basin
Domestic
Cooling
550
551
552
553
554
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
Total
Agricultural
use
Industry
Retained
Total
0
0
13.540
0
252
0
560
0
0
380
63.849
93.835
7.182
3.403
25.605
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1.942.242
299.866
0
3.890
12.661
0
0
690.522
0
362
0
710.436
0
0
155.811
458.324
2.223.475
176.973
38.773
517.192
0
0
468.709
0
1
0
21.927.900
0
0
5.525.962
252.643
948.654
26.501
9.213
393.945
0
0
1.172.771
0
615
0
22.638.896
0
0
5.682.153
2.717.058
3.565.830
210.656
55.279
949.403
7.607
14.452
12.597
32.434
81.524
1.630
3.532
0
0
11.667
190.491
75.450
36.309
71.552
12.651
208.606
2.258.659
4.971.868
29.553.528
36.992.661
551.896
Source: DGRNE, direction de la Taxe et de la Redevance, in DGRNE, direction des Eaux de Surface, Projet de
plan de gestion des eaux de surface du bassin de la Vesdre, tomes 1, 2 et 3, juin 1999
Mineral water producers. The activities of Spa Monopole are concentrated in the sub-basin
552 and those and Chaudfontaine Monopole in 569. Table 8 indicates the supplying of Spa
Monopole. Roughly a half of withdrawals comes from surface water, i.e. from the Warfa lake,
a small lake of the Wayai river above Spa. This water is used to wash the glass bottles (see
table 9, water used in the industrial process). The other half, withdrawn from groundwater is
the product itself, i.e. mineral water (incorporated in the product). The consumption of
Chaudfontaine is less clear. Other industries are present in the sub-basin. It could not be the
only one to withdraw groundwater. However it produces in 1996, 393'945 m³ of mineral
water (394 mio litres), less than Spa. After a period of high growth in the 1980s and the 1990s
the production of mineral water is now stabilised. Mineral water producers fear above all any
problem of diffuse pollution. They claim for perimeters of protection.
Agriculture. Agriculture is not a dominant user of water. It occupies 32.1% of the superficies
of the basin, mainly at the north and west, and is specialised in market gardening (fruits), and
breeding (milk production). Meadows represent 89.3% of the agricultural surface area. Water
is supplied mainly by distribution (72.2%, 551'896 m³ in 1996), the remaining part by sinks
and rainwater. The consumption of water is relatively low regarding the other sectors. It is
used for domestic purpose, watering of cattle and irrigation. The main agricultural
consumption is recorded in sub-basins 554 (Theux), 565, 566 and 568. The last three subbasins cover the Pays de Herve. The sub-basin 565 located between Eupen and Verviers, the
one with the most important consumption, is the widest area (98 km²) and has 56.5% of the
land affected to agriculture. Direct water consumption in agriculture is negligible, but indirect
uses of water, i.e. diffuse pollution, provoked by spreading are not quantifiable. Nitrates from
agriculture don’t exert a noticeable pressure on water in the area.
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17
2.1.4
BELGIUM
Energy
The Vesdre basin is one of the rare regions in Belgium where hydropower is produced.
However the production is of small capacity and not comparable with production in
mountainous areas. We find two kind of uses of water as an energy source. The first comes
from dams, the other is more with the stream (au fil de l’eau).
The dams belong to the Walloon Region. They are the Vesdre’s dam and the Gileppe dam.
Their main function is to supply the area with drinking water. As the needs are met, the
surplus is turbinated. The dams are managed by the Ministry of Transport and Public Works
(ministère de l’Equipement et des Transports, MET) of the Walloon Region. The MET
decides on what volumes can be affected to hydropower production. The hydropower plant of
the Vesdre’s dam belongs to the ERPE. It provides the water treatment plant linked to the
dam in electricity and the surplus is sold to Electrabel. The hydropower plant of the Vesdre’s
dam is exploited by the MET itself. It provides the dam in electricity and the surplus is also
sold to the network. Turbines are also set in the pipes that go to the treatment plant. Water
coming in the dam from close diverted streams could also be turbinated soon.
The other kind of hydropower production is ‘with the stream’. It consists in turbines of low
capacity set up at the end of the biefs. The bief is a little canal build along the river that diverts
water over a hundred of meters and frees it at the end. The slope (pente) gained on the river is
up to make a turbine work with the resulting fall. Four or five turbines work today and some
other biefs could be equipped soon. Small producers are sensible to the problem of residues in
the rivers that they call ‘unidentified floating objects’.
The use of water as an energy source has a long history in the basin and is nowadays called to
rise, while the capacity is limited to the flow of the river. The rising interest for hydropower is
explained by a legislation that encourages the recourse to electricity produced with renewable
energy sources. The Walloon Region offers a subsidy of 2 BEF per kWh produced, a
disposition that makes the production attractive.
2.1.5
Transport and absorption
The wide recourse to this good & service in the basin generates the main problems. Direct
rejection from industry in the area of Verviers is responsible of 30-50% of the pollution in the
river. However it is domestic water consumption that is in general responsible of pollution in
surface water, even pollution with nitrates (56% of the total quantity). The case of agriculture
is not examined here because of a lack of data. No model allows an estimate of the polluting
charge (charge polluante) of the sector, except for nitrates and phosphorus. Furthermore,
because of the law8, the statistical category of domestic discharges is huge. The category
comprises not only households, but also agricultural discharges (excepted huge intensive
breeding) and discharges of enterprises that employ less than 7 persons. An apart category is
tourism. Even if it is unequally developed, it represents a significant charge in certain areas of
the Vesdre basin.
8
Decree of 07.10.85 about the protection of surface water
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BELGIUM
Pressure of the problem. In order to measure the pressure of the problem we aggregate the
estimates of the region (1999) for discharges in particles (matières en suspension, MES),
biological demand in oxygen (BDO5) and the chemical demand in oxygen (CDO). The
pressure of discharges due to tourism represents around 3% of the total in the basin. However,
in the region of Spa and Theux, it represents around a half of the domestic pollution. This
pollution comes downstream of the Vesdre in Goffontaine, with the sewer. Goffontaine (567)
receives a net pollution that is three times higher than the pollution generated on the spot9. In
general the sewers located in the riverbed generate important transfers of polluting charges.
Goffontaine is an important pollution point on the Vesdre. The sewer spreads here the
wastewater (domestic water and tourism) of the communes of Spa, Thimister and Theux.
Domestic water is the main source of problems in most populated areas : Spa (551), Theux
(554), Eupen and the Herve (565), Verviers (566) and downstream (568 & 569). The
polluting charge is important in sub-basin 551 and 554. 60% of the gross polluting charge is
diverted in Goffontaine (567). After Verviers (566), the net charge is also higher than the
gross charge. The wastewater of Limbourg, the Pays de Herve and Verviers comes out in
Wegnez via a sewer. It is the major point of pollution in the basin. The pollution here is 55%
domestic and 45% industrial. At its mouth, the Vesdre transfers a part of its polluting charge
into the Ourthe, around 10%. The capacity of self-purification of the river is not negligible.
The pressure of domestic discharges may be declining. Between 1981 and 1996, the Vesdre
basin lost 1% of its population.
About industry, estimates are made with maximum authorised discharges delivered by the
Region. The discharge value is generally lower. Industry has the will to limit the emissions of
pollutants. Inside the basin, industrial pollution is located mainly in the most densely
populated areas. Discharges are concentrated on three points: Eupen (561 & 565), Verviers
(566) and Chaudfontaine (569). Herve (565) and Spa (551) are also isolated pollution points.
Most of high volumes of industrial wastewater (2’500-10’000 m³/day) are discharged directly
in the river. However the main industrial water consumers possess their own purification plant
(STEP). Most of small volumes are discharged in the sewing system. Direct discharges are
due either to the absence of sewers or to localisation of the firm along the river.
Sewage and purification. The functions of sewing and purification are assured by the
Association intercommunale de Démergement et d’Epuration (AIDE), a single
intercommunale of purification (public company) responsible for the whole basin. Three main
sewers (collecteurs) were built in the riverbed in the 1950s and inherited by the AIDE (see
map 6). The first comes from Eupen and flows out in Membach. A purification plant (25'000
inhab. eq.) has been operational since 1998 that produces good results on the general status of
the river. The second collects waste water of Herve and Verviers. It flows out downstream
Verviers in Wegnez. Here is the most polluted area of the basin. A purification plant is under
construction (170'000 inhab. eq.) and should be operational in 2001. The third main sewer
comes from Spa and flows out in the Vesdre downstream Pepinster, in Goffontaine. A
purification plant (35'000 inhab. eq.) is planned here. The AIDE already bought the plot. The
purification plants under construction today are planned for a long time (mid-1980s), but
money was not available. The Vesdre basin is also doted with many little purification plants,
from 100 to 20'000 inhabitant-equivalents. The dispersion is explained by former legislation
that gave the competence of purification to the communes. We have no data about the
efficiency of these plants.
9
Net polluting charge = gross charge + imported charge - exported charge
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BELGIUM
The problem of domestic pollution in urban areas is going to be resolved. It represents the
most important pressure exerted on surface water in the Vesdre basin. The tackle of the
problem could in coming years stress other causes of pollution, that are, for the moment,
hidden behind more clearly identifiable sources of pollution. We think here about the
questions of diffuse pollution and the regulation and control of individual purification plants
or sceptic tanks (fosses sceptiques).
2.1.6
Support
Two kind of uses are locally linked with this good & service: gravel extraction and fishing.
A single company, Gralex exploits gravel along the Vesdre . The extraction is not precisely in
the riverbed but on the hills along the bank. The company proceeds to the washing of ores
(minerais) in tanks. Residues are dried and used as filling material in the quarry (carrière). In
the past, the former entrepreneur used to discharge the residues in the Vesdre and that
provoked strong pollution problems. But today, the problem is up.
We still lack some data to measure the weight of fishing activities in the basin. Fishing is
however limited both by geological and human conditions. First, water is acid upstream of the
Vesdre and of the tributaries of the left banks. No fish can develop in such a water. Second,
pollution problems in the Vesdre downstream of Verviers, of which eutrophation, prevented
fish life. Things have evolved for ten years. Since the mid 1990s fish has came back in the
Vesdre. Fishers’ federations are asking the communes for authorisation to fish there. The two
main organisations of fishers are the Fédération des Pêcheurs du Sud et de l’Est de la
Belgique and the Fédération sportive des Pêcheurs francophones de Belgique. Fishing is
however well developed downstream of the Hoëgne. Some pisciculture exists in tributaries.
Two main problems threat the activity: industrial pollution and minimum flows. The
problems were recurrent but now seem to be overcome.
2.1.7
Recreation
Recreation is not the central function of the resource water in the Vesdre basin. Recreation is
mostly used indirectly by the tourist sector. Tourism is not developed equally in the basin. It
has been concentrated for a long time in the south part of the basin, around Spa. Tourism
should rise smartly in coming years. Investments are planified (objective 2 of the European
Regional Funds). It is a mean to reconvert the basin, formerly specialised in heavy industries,
particularly textile and metallurgy. The development of tourism in the valley of the Vesdre
faces the problem of a global water pollution and landscape cut with abandoned industrial
buildings (chancres industriels).
A direct recreational use of water is water sport. Three or four times the year canoeists
organise competitions in the streams located downstream of the dams. After a conflict
between canoeists and fishers about the release of water from the dams, a convention has been
signed with the authority of the dams. Usually, the level of water in the streams is not
sufficient to navigate. Baths are forbidden in the entire basin.
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2.1.8
BELGIUM
Medical uses
The fact to use water as a medical end is closely linked with the tourist activities developed
around the springs of Spa and Chaudfontaine. The project Aqualis will finance the renovation
of the thermal buildings of Spa. European Regional Funds finance the renovation of the castle
of Hauster that will receive the thermal activities of Chaudfontaine. The thermal activities
should expand in coming years after a long period of slow-down.
2.1.9
Protection
Geomorphologic changes. The main user is an indirect user : the riparian. Despite the fact he
is the first concerned, he doesn’t organise the protection by himself. The Walloon Region is
taking the question in charge. The considerations are evolving. In public works, the banks are
not covered with concrete anymore. Some gabions are now hosting fishes and flora.
Protection seems to reconcile with a competitive use: living environment. Alluvial deposits
that were not removed by the Region give the other example. The idea, still present in the
beginning of the 1980s to conduct water as fast as possible to the sea seems over.
Meanwhile, the main problem faced is still flooding. Flooding is important during two
periods, one before 1985 and now with the past flooding of 1998. Flooding changed in nature
and the challenge for protection evolved. Now actors are discussing to find new outlets
(exutoires) for the water surplus.
2.1.10
Strategic reserves
The function to constitute strategic reserves is assured by the MET. The MET manages dams
in a way that there are no shortages in drinking water even during long periods of drought.
The two dams of the basin have this function. The pressure of the problem gradually
decreased in twenty years. The needs in drinking water are stabilised, so the water reserves
need not be at a maximum.
III.
Identifying attempts towards integration: intra-cases
During our study of the basin, we identified a series of rivalries between water uses inside the
Vesdre river basin (see table 4). All of them can be considered as success stories: the problem
has been tackled. We chose the four one that we considered the more relevant: the industrial
pollution of the Wayai, the remaining problem of pollution of surface water, the chronic
flooding downstream of the Vesdre and the story of lead-poisoning in Verviers.
During our case study, we searched rivalries both between the same categories of users and
between different types of users. We didn’t detect any intra-use conflict but mostly extra-use
conflict. Nevertheless our last intra-case could be considered as an intra-use conflict. It
concerns drinking water above all, even if interests from the industry are represented. The fact
is that the fight is not on the sharing of the resource between the same kind of users, but a
fight between users and actors of implementation. We’ll come over the question later. The
conclusion is that we didn’t identify intra-use rivalries.
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3.1
BELGIUM
Lead-poisoning in Verviers (IC1)
The intra-case concerns the town of Verviers in its entirety. The problem appears in the late
XIXth century and is well known since then. Until the end of the story, the north part of the
town is supplied with water poisoned with lead. The conflict itself goes from the beginning of
the 1980s and ends around 1993-94. The scope of the intra-case is low. Only the G&S 2 is
concerned (drinking water), and marginally the G&S 3 (industrial water). The origin of the
problem is lead poisoning.
Schedule:
1857
1866
Decision to build the dam
Right given to the commune of Verviers to withdraw water from the
dam for industrial uses
1878
Inauguration of the dam
1965
Publication of the first Belgian standards on drinking water. First
initiative to build a prior treatment plant
1967
Heightening of the dam
1977, December
The Service of the dam is entitled to make a project
1980, 15th July
Adoption of the drinking water directive (80/778)
1980
Regionalisation. The Service of the dams is divided in two parts
1981, 19th May
First deposit of the specifications of the project, but does not go further
1983
National program of hydraulic works (GTH) under the responsibility of
the ministry of Social Affairs and the Secretariat of State on Public
Health and the Environment
1984-85
Defeat of the citizens group Action Eau to the Court of first instance of
Verviers
1984
Transposition of the directive 80/778. Exemptions
1985, 6th June
Opening of the offer for the civil engineering
1985, November
Transitory solution to provide Verviers with water (4/5 of the
population concerned)
1985, 12th November Beginning of the works
1986
Notification of the European Commission for failure in the
transposition of the 1980 directive
1988
Operation of the project of treatment plant given to the regional ERPE
1988-1989
Victory in appeal of Group Action Eau against the commune of
Verviers
1988
Opinion (Avis motivé) of the European Commission
1990, 5th july
Condemnation of the European Court of Justice
1991
The SWDE gets the management of water distribution in Verviers
1991
Second notification of the European Commission
1992
Inauguration of the treatment plant
Geographic localisation :
The intra-case concerns the town of Verviers in its entirety and a part of the municipality of
Dison (water distribution network of Verviers). The problem appears in the late XIXth
century and is well known since then. Until the end of the story, the north part of the town is
supplied with water poisoned with lead.
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Problem description :
The conflict itself goes from the beginning of the 1980s and ends in 1992. The scope of the
intra-case is low. G&S 2 (drinking water) and G&S 3 (industrial water) are concerned. The
industrial use of water has never been disturbed or challenge in the present case.
The origin of the problem is lead poisoning. What is lead poisoning? L’intoxication chronique
ou saturnisme peut être la conséquence de l’ingestion régulière de petites quantités de plomb
avec l’eau de boisson. La sensibilité au plomb varie considérablement d’un individu à l’autre.
Au début, aucun synptômes n’est vraiment caractéristique: inappétence, constipation, goût
métallique, insomnie ou nervosité. Plus tard, apparaît un liséré gingival (gencives) de couleur
gris foncé. Le symptôme le plus dramatique est la colique du plomb qui provient de spasmes
intestinaux très intenses: douleurs dans l’abdomen. Elle est accompagnée fréquemment de
maux de tête et de douleurs musculaires et articulaires. Plus tard, apparaissent les paralysies
saturnines qui atteignent principalement le nerf radial. L’atteinte des éléments nerveux
provoque une paralysie des extenseurs des doigts qui peut remonter au bras, à l’épaule et au
thorax. Les nerfs atteints et les muscles qui en dépendent s’atrophient très rapidement. Les
cas graves de saturnisme s’accompagnent de troubles cérébraux. Le traitement consiste à
combattre les troubles et les paralysies et à évacuer le plomb qui s’est accumulé dans
l’organisme. La première mesure consiste à supprimer les causes de l’intoxication.
How were the population contaminated? To understand the story, we must begin with the
building of the Gileppe’s dam, achieved in 1875. An important wool industry is set in
Verviers. It needs much water to clean up the wool. In summer, the industries know shortages
with the lowest water levels. The population is supplied in water with local springs but faces
also shortages.
Then a dam is build by the State, to constitute water reserves. The water is retained only to
provide industry with water. The town of Verviers has, and still has, an exclusive right to
withdraw water in the dam. It provides industries with cheap water.
- The wool sector develops thanks to the acid water of the Fagnes that allow a good
washing of the raw material
- In summer there are water shortages
- The dam is build by the State and the town obtains the rights on water. The State finances
the dam and the town of Verviers the aqueduct.
- Water withdrawals by the commune are free. Industry has a priority in the provision of
water.
Then the population claims a right to get an access to that water. The town sets up
progressively a distribution network, in lead. The price of water is low and the town manages
the network. Water is not purified, before distribution. It comes from the dam, where water is
pure. The problem is that water comes out of the Fagnes and is acid (low pH). The soft water
corrodes (ronge) the pipes and particles of lead flow in the drinking water. A regular
consumption of the water provokes lead poisoning. Everybody knows the problem. But
people of Verviers keep thinking that their water is of the best quality.
- Through time the symptoms of poisoning are more obvious. The faculty of medicine of
Verviers has an interest in such research but has to abandon it after pressure from the
industrialists
- In the 1970s, the University of Liège conducts a study on blood. It proves the poisoning
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Heightening of the dam. During the works, Verviers is provided with water from the dam of
Eupen
- Growing needs and short capacity
- In 1967, when the renewed dam is inaugurated, the wool industry has begun its decline
The fact is that industry is keen on having an acid water. The soft water cleans pipes and is
really efficient in washing the wool. A treated water would loose those properties. That
explains the position of refuse from the industry. The industry has a dominant position in the
municipal council. Finally, in order to solve the opposition of the industry, a special pipe will
separate gross industrial water from water going to the treatment plant.
-
The decision to build the treatment plant. The initiative dates back from the end of the
1970s at the initiative of the minister of the Walloon Affairs. A national project of
hydraulic works is launched in 1983 and takes the project in charge.
The service of the Dams makes the plans. It takes several years to attribute the contract.
Rivalry between the ministries of Public Works and Public Health about the leadership in
the conduct of the works. The project is delayed. With the regionalisation it is finally
given to the Walloon Region
Beginning of the works on 12th November 1985. Many delays
The treatment plant works since 1992 and has a capacity of 90 000 m³/year (current
production of 30 000 m³/day)
In 1980 the European Communities adopt a directive about the quality of drinking water
(directive 80/778 of 15.05.80) that limits the concentration of lead in drinking water. The
directive is translated in Belgium in an execution decree of 27.04.1984 that specifies
exceptions, including the case of Verviers where a treatment plant is under construction. A
Belgian law, enacted in the 1970s, already mentions quality requirements for drinking water.
A high concentration of lead is prohibited in drinking water.
The concentration in lead was not the only one problem with the water distributed in Verviers.
It was also dirty water sometimes. In fact, at the entry of the network, only a large gate
retained trees. When water in the lake was troubled, the drinking water was brown. People
had to wash the suits two times. The baker walked out with buckets to get colourless pure
water in order to make white bread. In any case, water needed to be treated in order to become
drinking water.
Beginning of the conflict. Around 1981, a lady comes to a neighbour’s committee and asks to
make an action against the commune. She wants the law about drinking water is applied in
Verviers. On the 350 members of the committee only six families accept. They form the
Groupe Action Eau. Among them people are poisoned with lead. The commune of Verviers
refuses to move. The Group organises a collection. Neighbours give money, enough to pay a
lawyer. The lawyers from Verviers refuse to defend the families. They all answer that they
have already pleaded for the commune and that is not convenient. The lawyers come from
Liège. The Group looses at the Court of First Instance in Verviers in 1983-84. They win in
appeal in Liège in 1986-87.
The commune prepares to go in front of the Supreme Court (Cour de Cassation). The Group
has not the means to follow. They make a deal. The commune reimburses the cost of justice,
it swears to remedy to the situation and the Group declares to abandon any further pursuits.
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At the same period the European Court of Justice condemns Belgium the 5.07.1990 for
default in the transposition of the directive 80/778. The Court denounces the exception made
by Belgium with Verviers.
The commune has no financial means to build the necessary treatment plant. The victory of
the Group Action Eau does not modify the situation of the 1/5 of the population that is still
not provided with a safe tap water. No transitory measures are put in place
- The town of Verviers fears a too important financial burden. It does not recognise the
problem of lead-poisoning
- The network is in lead and not properly maintained. Water losses are over 33%
During the works Verviers is provided in drinking water with the Vesdre’s dam in Eupen.
Here water is treated since the 1950s. But only 80% of the population are provided with water
from Eupen. 10'000 inhabitants (20%) continue to consume the non-treated water from the
Gileppe’s dam. The project is hard to finance. There are delays in the achievement. In 1990
again 20% (1/5) of the population drinks non-treated water. This part of the population
remains more than six years without drinking water. The excuse is the non technical
feasibility of an alternative provision.
The treatment plant comes under work only after February 1992. In 1991, the town of
Verviers sold its distribution network to the SWDE for EUR 8.5 mio (345 mio BEF).
- The town managed the water distribution network
- The water was sold to the SWDE because of the financial burden of works of renovation
on the network
- With the treatment plant, the town would have to buy water to the total production cost
and not to the m³.
- Prices rose with the SWDE. The water price is the more expensive of Wallonia (2.70
EUR/m³). The people of Verviers pay the water treatment costs
A new lettre de mise en demeure is addressed by the European Commission to Belgium in
December 1991 that denounces the delays. The problem will finally be solved with the
achievement of the water treatment plant.
Actors involved:
The central actor is the municipality of Verviers, which is the owner of the water distribution
network until 1991.
Only simple citizens of the commune compose the Groupe Action Eau. The local industry
operates an important lobby against the plant, mainly towards the Municipal Council.
The European Commission pushes the case in the ECCJ.
The SWDE buys the distribution network at the end of the affair.
The Ministry of Public Works begins to build the treatment plant. The Ministry of Public
Health replaces it.
The ERPE, the regional entity in charge of the water treatment, appears in 1980. It is the
manager of the treatment plant.
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Mechanism for problem solving:
Here we face a case where the legislation in force is not applied locally. Local authorities
involved in the management of water refuse to recognise the problem. The Central State
enters the scene once a judgement is given (?), including a European condemnation. Even, no
consideration is given to 1/5 of the local population. An obvious problem of poisoning needed
more than fifteen years to be resolved.
Critical factors of success:
- Judiciarisation of the problem. The judicial activity is sometimes determinant in
implementing a legislation locally
- Financial resources
- Technical management of the problem
- Direct interest of the actors
Influence of property rights and public policies:
- Change in the actors that benefit of the disposition right on water. The former owner of
the water distribution service blocks the solution in order both the avoid the financial
burdens of the water production and denies the problem
- The formal owner of water (i.e. the State has no responsibility on the quality of water)
- No public participation/consultation
- Interpolicy and multi-level coordinations
- Local politics, but no policy (of water quality)
Concluding remarks:
It is an historical case. The problem persists over time as we observe change in the relative
weight of the actors and uses.
The problem is managed technically (or even technocratically). The solutions are not carried
on by the population. People are poorly informed of the quality of the water they drink and
are not aware of the problems at stake. A small arena of experts solve the problem without
giving justifications
3.2
Chronic flooding in the lower valley of the Vesdre (IC2)
In 1998, in Vaux-sous-Chèvremont, downstream of the Vesdre a major part is under water.
Many people think that the flooding is due to a release of water from the dams of the Vesdre
and the Gileppe. In fact the problem is only due to rainfalls. The event illustrates the fact that
the management of flooding in the basin is assured by a series of local actors. Concertation
went to circumscribe this central problem in the basin despite the lack of regulation. It was
resolved on the good will of the actors.
Schedule:
1878
Inauguration of the dam of the Gileppe (Verviers)
1920-1921
Periods of drought
1967
Works on the heightening of the dam
1967, 28th December Law on the management of non-navigable rivers
1970
Identification of the zones of flood (DGRNE, unachieved)
1971
Inauguration of the renewed dam
1975-1976
Periods of drought
1980
Regionalisation
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1985, 5th July
1985
1985
1989
Flood in the valley of the Magne
Pressure of the communes to regulate the water releases (lâchers d’eau)
Decision of the Service of the Dams to recalculate its filling graph
Creation of the Association of the Communes of the Vesdre Basin
(ACBV)
1993, December
Floods in the valley of the Vesdre
1995, 28th January Floods in the valley of the Vesdre
1997
Floods in the valley of the Magne
1998, 13th-14th Sept. Floods in the valley of the Vesdre (Pepinster, Limbourg, Trooz and
Chaudfontaine)
1998, 9th December The ACBV begins a river contract
2000, June
Signature of the Convention on a river contract for the Vesdre
2001, February
Enquiry on the 1998 floods by the river contract
2003, July
End of the inventory and preparation of the contract
2006, July
Assessment of the river contract
Geographic localisation:
Vaux-sous-Chèvremont is a part of the commune of Chaudfontaine, located along the Vesdre,
near the confluence of the Ourthe (sub-basin 569), at a low level, along water. The area is
quite systematically under water when it rains a lot in the basin. In 1998, several places are
under water: Pepinster, Limbourg, Trooz and Chaudfontaine.
Origin of the problem:
For a long time, when rainfalls were too abundant, the manager of the dams was complained
to let the water out for safety reasons: the dam was full. People and communes affected by the
flooding complained. The problem of flooding was linked with the management of the dams.
In 1985 the communes put the pressure on the national Ministry of Public Works and
negotiated. Now the manager of the dam is conscious of the problem that constitute releases
of water for the municipalities located downstream.
In 1998, the problem is radically different. It rains a lot (110 litres/m²) downstream of the
dams. The manager of the dams keeps in touch with the safety officer of the commune of
Chaudfontaine. He releases no water. Local authorities in the basin decide to adapt the basin
to such events in the future.
Difficult management of a dam. Droughts in summer and high or long rainfalls in winter must
be anticipated. The graph for the filling in of the dam is calculated on a two year period
because the dry periods generally goes over two years. With a draught, providing water from
the dam during the draught in not a problem. The anxiety of the dam manager is about the
year after. The recalculation of the graph in order to avoid the emergency water releases with
important rainfall is not an easy task.
The dam of the Gileppe is used for the production of drinking water and the industry.
Electricity production is secondary. Question of the minimum flows. The management of the
minimum floods and the water releases is uneasy. There are no needs of minimum flows from
the dam of the Gileppe due to a tributary downstream that feeds the stream enough. The
minimum flows never led to a conflict, except the question of water release for the canoeists
in the spawning of fish. A convention is signed between the MET, manager of the dam, the
canoeists and the fishers. The convention should be included in the river contract.
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Elements of crisis management. Care for the victims of the floods: management of social
problems and payment of compensations. The Region grants loans to the victims and latter
intervention of the Calamity Funds. Only a few housing are insured against water floods
Share in responsibility. The first liability goes to the rainfalls, according to the authorities.
After that it remains to establish the fault of the manager:
- Streaming: the farmer? communes that waterproofs the surface?
- Output for the sewing system: the communes or the owner of the main sewers are insured
against the risk. The discharge of an excessive volume of water is more frequent.
- Overflow of the river. What kind of fault could we find from the manager of the stream. It
is much difficult.
It is rare to establish a fault in the management of water floods.
Opinions on measures to be taken. This reflects the positions of various local actors from the
civil society:
- It would be profitable to concentrate on fittings of the streams and on the aggravating
factors (bed, banks, works, surface waterproofing, etc.)
- Find the remedies against floods in a better land-use planning. Jean Fassote, Friends of the
Earth: “il a toujours plu mais la situation va en s’empirant. Il faudra laisser la rivière
déborder en certains endroits mais au lieu de ça, on la canalise, on la corsète et en fin de
compte elle envahit les maisons” (22.03.2001).
- Wise river management: occuper le moins possible le lit majeur, afin de les laisser
déborder en cas de fortes pluies (FoE). “Mais à la place que voit-on, Des zones humides
qui sont drainées, des remblais illégaux, des nouveaux lotissements en zone inondables”
- Think about other types of installations (FoE): éviter la multiplication des surfaces
imperméabilisées, l’extension des égoutages, la suppression des haies, bosquets et bandes
boisées. Ces interventions accélèrent le débit des eaux et repoussent celle-ci vers l’aval.
- F. Soete (IEW): on ne peut plus délivrer des permis de bâtir n’importe où et n’importe
comment. Il propose de réduire les surfaces imperméabilisées, d’équiper les habitations
d’une citerne d’eau de pluie et de préserver les haies et arbustes.
- Françoise Godart (ULB-IGEAT): “Pour se prémunir des inondations, la solution ne
consiste pas à élever des murs ou des digues de plus en plus haut pour contenir l’eau. Il
faut envisager le problème plus globalement”.
Management of floods and zones liable to flooding. The prevention of floods still obey to a
palliative logic. According to the law of 1967, it is necessary to bring water as quickly as
possible to the sea. In the practice, the mentalities evolved. The management of water remains
fragmented. Today the MET is more and more interested in the renaturation of the banks.
However it has no competence on the fittings of the major bed. Zones liable to flooding are
expected in the land-use plans but no designated. The commune have also a liability in floods
as they deliver building authorisation in such areas.
Actors involved:
- Communes of Chaudfontaine, Trooz, Limbourg and Pepinster
- Intercommunale of the Basin of the Vesdre, Association des Communes du Bassin de la
Vesdre (ACBV). It has the task to coordinate the environmental measures taken by the
communes of the basin with the objective to tackle pollution in the water streams.
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Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport (MET), i.e. the regionalised part of the former
Ministry of Public Works. The dams belong to the Region and are managed by a service
of the MET, the Service of the Dams.
Regional administration of the Environment, DGRNE-CENN, manager of the river
Vesdre
Regional administration of land-use, the DGATLP for zones liable to flooding
Company of water transports (ERPE), formerly attached to the DGRNE and now
belonging to the Walloon water company (SWDE)
Solutions brought to the problem in two times:
- Around 1985, the Service of the Dams (MET) decided in collaboration with the ERPE to
revise the graph on water filling. Raw water demand was fulfilled with 65000m³/day
rather than the 90000m³/day anticipated. In order to maintain such a supply all over the
year, the dam had to be full in January-February at a time when the risk of flood is the
more important. Then the managers took the risks of water shortages in case of the
renewal of a drought year. The reduction of the security of supply allowed use to
constitute a volume of 2mio m³ in order to provide an assistance in case of water floods.
Since then no water flood in the basin has been aggravated by water releases.
- Setting up of a working group on hydrology (30 people) in the river contract. In a second
time, the origins of the floods change. In 1998, it rained downstream the dams and it did
not avoid floods. During the flood, the dam released only 0.5m³/s. So a working group is
set up to understand the causes of floods and to localised the particularly affected areas.
All the local actors of (quantitative) water management meet together on a regular basis:
the managers of the dams (MET), civil engineers for modelling (MET), hydrologists
(University of Liège) and safety managers of the commune. In general, the remedies are
conceived according to the floods of the past. As today the nature of rainfalls is changing,
new solutions have to be imagined. The working group is setting up a map of the zones
liable to flooding. It launched a survey on the victims in order to inventory the damages
and the sensitive areas. Work is conducted according the idea that the risk of exceptional
floods as the ones of 1998 will rise over time. In the future, the river contract could give
some advice to the communes about building licences along the stream.
However the retained approach through the river contract has its limits. In fact, the problem of
tougher rainfalls is not limited to the Vesdre basin but is widespread. But the local actors are
glad to meet each others. Furthermore, the river contract is limited to informal and noncompulsory consultations. It works on the good will of the participants to present and assume
their projects and responsibilities in front of the others. For instance, for the zones liable to
flooding, the competency to regulate is managed by the regional administration of land-use
planning. However, with a participation to a river contract, the communes are more conscious
of their liability.
Critical success factors:
- Good will and mutual respect between actors who know each others. We find the same
persons in the recalculation of the graph and the constitution of the Hydraulic Group of the
Vesdre river contract.
- Small community of local actors, aware of the problems met. They are technicians and do
not wait until a legislation is adopted to act. Use to work out of particular legal requirements.
- The coordination between uses is only due to close contacts between the managers.
- The population is little implicated
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- In the past, and still today, we notice the lack of a preventive logic, particularly with landuse planning, about water floods. There are failures in the intervention of the Region and
the social consequences of the inaction are not assumed by the Region, as the Calamity
Funds is managed by the federal level.
- Regulation is made through property rights. The owners of the dam and of water act, at
their own expenses et out of the frame of any public policy. There is little or no action on
the landowners in order to modify their behaviour, e.g. limits to the buildings in zones
liable to flooding (building license).
Concluding remarks:
- Technical management of the problem
- The improvements are not supported by a population that is not aware of problems and
issues at stake
- A close arena of experts solve the problems
- The river contract is not an instance of decision-making. Its may exert lobbying at the
local and regional levels, by cannot go further. They are no legislative consequences to its
decisions
- The Hydraulic Group has its limits in its inability to implement its decisions. It needs a
relay of the regional administration. Many participants are representatives of the Ration,
but it is not sufficient to convinces the competent ministers to act.
- The river contract has not the financial capacity. It is an experiment that works at medium
term (2-6 years)
3.3
Remaining river pollution problems (IC3)
The low quality level of the Vesdre creates rivalries. Pollution prejudices the development of
tourism the only economic reconversion expected for this industrialised area. Link between
tourism and water quality, two subjects of priority in the Vesdre river contract.
Schedule:
1857
1888
1898
1955
1960
1977
1980
1983
1984
1989
1993
Verviers knows an economic expansion phase
Commission for the study and purification of the river Vesdre (also in
1921 and 1937). No further developments.
Creation of a protection society of the valley of the Vesdre
Commission for the study and purification of the Vesdre. Call in favour
of a collection system (collecteur)
Call of tenders and adjudication of the construction works for the main
sewer (achieved in 1971)
Competency of purification given to the intercommunales. Inter-Cours
d’Eau is competent for the Vesdre basin, but replaced in 1981 by the
AIDE
Regionalisation
Creation of the environmental association Vesdre Vive
First planning of the purification plant of Wegnez
Birth of the association of the communes of the Vesdre Basin (ACBV)
Regional recognition of the river contracts
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1994
1996
1998
2000
2000, October
2000, December
2001
2003
BELGIUM
Start of the financing under the objective 2 of the European Regional
Development Fund (ERDF)
Opening of a centre for nature and tourism in Nessonvaux
Entry in operation of the purification plant of Membach
Adoption of the development plan Meuse-Vesdre
First meeting of the Vesdre river contract. Preparation of the contract
First meeting of the working group water quality in the Vesdre river
contract
Entry into operation of the purification plant of Wegnez
Signature of the Vesdre river contract
Geographic localisation:
The whole basin, particularly along the Vesdre between Eupen and Liège. The place
concerned is more precisely the valley of the river Vesdre. On both sides of the valley a green
tourism is well developed.
But in the valley, abandoned industrial building cut the landscape in many places. The banks
are dirty, the river is polluted. No tourist development is expectable in such conditions.
The problem is due to a strong remaining pollution, to a smart decline of traditional industries
and the necessity to conduct an active economic policy (activity and employment) for the
restructuring of the area.
- The Vesdre has been a dead river for a long time. The pollution dates back to the 19th
century: wool industry in Verviers and metallurgy downstream. Pollution was initially due
to the wool industry and later to the paper industry. The quarries are also major polluters.
- Three main sewers build along the banks of the river date back to the 1960s. The
purification plants that are build nowadays have been planned for a long time.
The European Regional Development Fund allocates money following the qualification of the
area to the objective 2 (regions in economic decline) of the EU Regional Funds. Whatever the
amount of money available to realise investments, nothing is possible without cleaning the
river.
- The Meuse-Vesdre industrial area groups 33 communes. Its development was build on
metallurgy and this mono-activity of low added-value still dominates. Among the 19971999 the objectives of economic development figure out the Route du Feu, an itinerary
that guide tourists through the industrial past of the basin. Tourism substitutes to industry.
The sector has an average growth 4,5% per year since 1993. The rise in the hosting
potential of the region with an improvement of the environment are complementary lines
of action in the Meuse-Vesdre program. The other lines of action remains industrial.
- All the communes of the Vesdre basin are not eligible, but only the surroundings of Liège,
Verviers, Dison and Pepinster.
- Since 1994, the ERDF allowed the realisations of the purification plant of Wegnez and of
the tourist centre of the wool. Direct aids to companies and works of infrastructure.
- Follow up of the objective 2. The Walloon government expect the creation of 1350 jobs
and 87 businesses, with an envelop of 158mio EUR from the ERDF.
Actions of purification
- Purification plants of Membach (24600 IE) since 1998, Wegnez (170000 IE) since 2001 et
Goffontaine (expected in 2004). At the end of the 1970, nothing in done yet. Only a few
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-
BELGIUM
purification plant of small capacity are built are the heads of the basin. The financial
means of the intercommunales are insufficient before 1997.
The main sewers are progressively fixed up
Fish is now back in the basin.
Actors involved:
- European Union. Both water/environment and structural funds
- DG Economy-employment of the Walloon Region
- DGRNE
- Communes
- AIDE
- Industries
- Province of Liège
- The tourist sector.
The Vesdre river contract decided by the communes of the basin stress four priorities of
which the tourist development is one of them. A specific working group meets regularly (once
in a month). An inventory will be realised during one year, which will constitute a basis to
negotiate priorities between the actions to be taken.
- Interesting natural areas
- Tourism is already well developed in the South part of the basin: Spa, Theux, Stavelot,
Malmédy
- Good geographic situation at the crossroad of Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands.
- Expected nature-friendly tourist development.
- Intention to localise the water uses according to the quality of water in particular places.
Initiatives concerning tourism. Development of thermal cures in a competitive environment:
Carolus thermen in Aachen (Germany) and Thermae 2000 in Valkenbourg (The Netherlands).
The commune of Spa invests in a new thermal infrastructure. The thermal centre of
Chaudfontaine reopens in 2001.
- External financial support and a development based on the past thermal activities of the
basin
- An environmental awareness from a well structured group of local (municipal) actors
(Vesdre Vive and ACBV after)
- The Vesdre river contract does not guide the tourist development but ought to give advice
on the respect of the environment.
- Bad example of other Walloon valleys that developed without respecting nature
Regulation by the public policies: economic development and water purification
Concluding remarks:
The river contract completes the framework only marginally with a preoccupation of no
negative environmental impact of the development of tourism
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3.4
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Relationship between mineral water production and the Environment
in the tributary basin of the Wayai (IC4)
The first intra-case is about a rivalry that arose between the company Spa Monopole, a
mineral water producer and the fishers’ federations. The fishers declared that Spa Monopole
was responsible of a series of industrial pollution that occur in the late 1980s, one of which is
an accidental pollution of the Wayai with caustic soda
Schedule:
1889
1921
1937
1970s
1974
First protection perimeter around the Spa waters
Creation of Spa Monopole
Adoption of the current protection perimeter
Building of a purification plant by Spa Monopole
Signature of the current concession for the exploitation Spa waters
(1974-2039)
1980s
Accidental pollution by Spa Monopole et demonstrations of fishers
1984
Constitution a scientific team to the fishers’ federation
1991
Decision of the fishers’ federation to set up a river contract
1994, March
Conclusion of the convention for a river contract
1995
Renewal of the purification plant of Spa Monopole
1997
End of the inventory of the river contract
1998, 16th February Signature of the river contract
2001
Assessment and conclusion of the river contract
2003-2004
Entry in operation of the purification plant of Goffontaine
2003
Signature of the Vesdre river contract
Geographic localisation :
The Wayai is a little river, a tributary of the Hoëgne, located in the south part of the basin.
The Wayai comes from the fagnes and has naturally acid water on an important part of its
course. The Fagnes concentrate the major part of tourist activities in the basin.
The pollution of the river with caustic soda is the most important conflict between the two
main parties. During the affair the actors exchange violent arguments via the press. Finally the
fisher’s federations propose to Spa Monopole to make a river contract in 1991.
• The river contract of Hoëgne-Wayai (CRHW) is initiated following a pollution problem
due to an emission of caustic sodium in the river Wayai. A conflict opposes a fishers’
federation to a mineral water producer, Spa Monopole SA. This river contract is at least a
forum of mutual understanding for the two parties. Spa Monopole is very sensitive to its
public image of nature protector.
• The river Wayai endures a series of other cases of pollution: acid punctually discharged
by a former enterprise, direct emissions of domestic wastewater due to deficient sewers
and domestic diffuse pollution
• Summary of the conflicts in the case:
Spa Monopole/ fishers about discharges of bicarbonate
Spa Monopole/ pêcheurs about the accidental pollution with caustic sodium
Other direct discharges
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Actors involved:
- Spa Monopole. La source des Fagnes aurait déjà été fréquentée par les Romains. C’est au
XVIe siècle que la ville devient le rendez-vous des têtes couronnées et des artistes.
L’exploitation industrielle des sources remonte à 1918 et Spa Monopole est créée en
1921. Spa devient une entreprise moderne à partir de 1924 et ses produits se diversifient.
La société Spadel SA se structure à partir de 1947, comprenant Spa, ainsi que les sources
de Chevron (Bru et Spontin). Spa Monopole, leader sur le marché belge de l’eau
minérale, réalise 4 bio BEF de chiffre d’affaire en 1997. Elle représente 650 emplois à
Spa sur une population de 10 000 habitants. Spa Monopole signs contracts with the local
and regional public authorities. In the protection perimeter, the administration of Nature
and Forests (DNF) manages the communal forests of Spa according to the need to
preserve the quality of Spa waters. Spa Monopole has a concession with the commune of
Spa to exploit the Spa waters. The concession represents one tier of the municipal budget.
The concession resolved an initial conflict between local water distribution and the
production of mineral water. Nowadays, in Spa, tap water comes from the dam of Eupen
through the SWDE. The property structure of the land inside the protection perimeter is
the following: the State (the Region since 1980), with a use right for the commune, the
commune and some parcels to Spa Monopole. The protection perimeter is extended in
2001 according to a new legislation.
- Fishers’ federations. The Fédération des Sociétés de Pêche de l’Est et du Sud de la
Belgique (FSPESB) and the Fédération sportive des Pêcheurs francophones de Belgique
(FSPFB) are two associations. The FSPFB groups 40000 fishers. Their objectives are the
preservation of the fishers’ interests and to combat pollution. The FSPESB has a scientific
team of three people since 1984.
- DGRNE
- Province
- Municipalities: Malmédy, Stavelot, Spa, Jalhay, Theux et Pepinster
- The intercommunale of purification, AIDE. Un collecteur vient de Spa et se jette dans la
Vesdre en aval de Pepinster. A sa sortie, la STEP de Goffontaine est d’ores et déjà
programmée. En Hoëgne-Wayai, les collecteurs sont rainurés. Un examen endoscopique
de ceux-ci a été réalisé par l’AIDE en 1995. La partie inférieure des tuyaux est sciée sur
toute la longueur du trajet. Le chemisage sur 13 km est terminé en janvier 2001. On a fait
une étude pour connaître l’origine de cette fissure (attaque de l’eau), mais l’on a pas
trouvé.
Spa Monopole agrees the proposition of the fishers’ federations. The river contract is a nonbinding concertation mechanism on a voluntary basis that was developing in the Walloon
Region. Communes are convinced and other parties joined the scene, e.g. environmentalists,
the Region and intercommunales.
• Preparation of the river contract is initiated in 1991 and the contract is signed in 1994. The
most difficult task is to convince the communes.
• The fisher’s federation (FSPESB) has worked on the Wayai since 1984. It chooses the
river contract in order to preserve the ecological status of the river.
The convention, a preparatory document before the opening of the negotiation, is signed in
March 1994. Spa Monopole plays then a leading role in the animation of the contract. A
specific river contract of the sub-basin, anterior to the Vesdre river contract, is signed the
16.02.98 and ends in February 2001. The two parties solved their conflict with the use to
work together.
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34
•
•
•
BELGIUM
1994-1996: inventory of interesting sites and problems, information, operations for
increasing public awareness, operations of cleaning of the banks and organisation of
working groups to assess the necessary works (fitting, sewers)
Since 1997, commitment of the public and private parties, instauration of a management
committee and executions of the promises
Identification of the problems of domestic pollution: bas condition of the main sewer in
the Wayai and inventory of direct discharges without treatment
Assessment. The global quality of the stream improves, particularly with an upgrading of the
purification plant of Spa and an important renovation of the sewers present in the riverbed.
• After six years, the CRHW river contracts comes to an end in March 2001.
• The assessment is mitigated. Numerous studies have been conducted, works have been
realised, but it is too early to measures the benefits on the water quality.
• D. Herman, coordinator of the contract : “Nous pouvons évaluer l’impact d’une pollution
accidentelle sur n’importe quel ruisseau du bassin. Le contrat de rivière n’a guère
contribué à améliorer la qualité des eaux. La mise en place des plans communaux
généraux d’égoutage est laborieuse. Un point positif: la fin des travaux de rénovation du
collecteur d’égouts de Spa-Goffontaine et l’entrée en service d ela STEP de Goffontaine à
la fin 2002. Un regret: le manque de motivation des communes”.
• Now the area is under the competence of the Vesdre river contract which integrates the
whole basin.
• La déception porte sur l’amélioration de la qualité des eaux par pose d’égouttage et par
épuration. En 7 ans, le contrat de rivière n’a pas permis de faire beaucoup évoluer la
situation, excepté une prise de conscience accrue des problèmes de pollution organique
domestique.
- A solution is found to a local conflict. The actors do everything to forget their former
quarrels. Understanding has been created with seven years of a concrete collaboration.
- A very active fishers’ federation that initiates the project.
- A company that produces a mineral water of a high quality which has very identifiable
discharges and a very high concern for the protection of the environment. However the basin
faces numerous and isolated pollution sources.
- Enlargement of a conflict between fishers and mineral water producers to the more global
problem the water quality in the whole tributary basin
- The scientific team of the fishers’ federation collect the proofs of the pollution and propose
solutions
- Strong identity inside the tributary basin of the Hoëgne-Wayai
The river contract mobilises a series of public policies already in place. The initiatives are not
always successful.
Spa Monopole solves its problem of groundwater protection by securing its property rights,
mainly disposition rights. However it builds its action on the existing legislation in order to
limit the costs of its intervention.
Concluding remarks:
Spa Monopole goes out of a conflict and improves its public image with the Hoëgne-Wayai
river contract. However the river contract is useless for it when it concerns the protection of
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BELGIUM
groundwater. The company uses alternative ways, mainly property rights to secure the quality
of its water provision.
3.5
-
Concluding remarks
The managers of the dams play a leading role in the regulation of several goods &
services
The absence of legislation doesn’t mean that a use is not present
The judicial activity is sometimes determinant in implementing a legislation locally
Some regulation can be determined and implemented between local actors without the
enacting of legal document of any source
VI. Regime development at local scale (1980-2001)
We repeat briefly the regime development in Wallonia over the studied period and determine
the local owners of property rights on the water resource and the local institutional
arrangements.
6.1
Regime changes in the Walloon Region
Between 1971 and 1980, water policy encounters quasi no evolution. In 1980, the regional
environmental competence is explicitly recognised in the regionalisation process. Each region
has to set up its own administration to manage these questions. Flanders implements the law
of 1971 on the protection of surface water against pollution and completes the framework.
Wallonia prefers to restart with a new legislation, more suitable to the existing actors in place,
i.e. the intercommunales. The public domain on water, and particularly navigable rivers, is
transferred from the Central State to the regions.
6.1.1
Development of a complex regime (1980-1995)
Concerning PR, the Walloon Region focuses on a regulation of use rights since 1984 and on a
limitation of disposition rights on groundwater. Instead of authorising the withdrawals, the
law compels the pumper (‘exploitant’) to be the owner of the land.
The policy design is modified in 1985 for the protection of surface water and in 1990 for the
protection of ‘potential drinking water’ (ground- and surface water). Water discharges are
taxed. The framework is completed in 1993 with non-binding river contracts that encompass
all water uses at a local level. Kayaking is regulated in 1996.
An important differentiation of water uses occurs, with a particular focus on living
environment, drinking water, recreation and absorption. Modifications in use rights affect a
high number of uses. The implementation field is wide and measures are general. The scope is
wide and the coherence is medium. The regime is a complex policy-focused regime.
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6.1.2
BELGIUM
Attempts towards an integrated regime (1995-onwards)
No changes in PR are observed except the revision of the code on urban planning in 1997.
The Region keeps a favour for the regulation of use rights. In 1999, the Walloon Region
adopts two decrees, one on environmental permission, the other on the water cycle and the
SPGE. The last creates a public company that co-ordinates the distribution water cycle.
However the link between this aspect and the questions of quantity, minimum flows and
nature protection is not made. The Region currently prepares the implementation measures of
the European water framework directive.
During the period the uses and actors in Wallonia remain equivalent of those of the preceding
period. But elements of co-ordination are added. The scope is wide and the coherence is high
but the competence is too fragmented. The regime is policy-driven and in the way of
integration.
6.1.3
Changes in property rights (1980-2001)
The tendency in the Walloon region in PR changes is not to modify formal ownership rights
but the regulate use rights. Concerning formal property rights, the main change is the
empowerment of the Region about the public domain in 1980. Another change is the
requirement that the appropriator of potential drinking water (be it surface or groundwater)
must be the formal owner of the land where water is withdrawn. This concerns a perimeter of
10 m around the well (puits).
About disposition rights, the decree of 1990 requires a prior authorisation to withdraw
potential drinking water. This is applied for every groundwater withdrawals but also for
surface water withdrawals if they occur in specified areas.
The main changes in PR concern use rights. It becomes prohibited to establish holiday houses
along riverbanks in zones of natural foreseeable risk. It is also prohibited to damage riverbeds
and to disturb fauna and flora in wetland areas.
The goods and services concerned are : living environment, drinking water, recreation and
protection. The range of PR changes is somehow limited. We identified who were the owners
of the water resource in Belgium, according our typology (see Annex).
6.1.4
Changes in the policy design (1980-2001)
Important changes in the policy design occur within the two regimes identified. During the
first period, the laws on the protection of surface and potential drinking water of 1985 and
1990 set up the framework of intervention. Protection zones10 for streams and aquifers must
10
Classement des cours d’eau et caractère piscicole. La législation wallonne sur la qualité des eaux de surface
établit des critères de classement des cours d’eau, selon leur importance écologique ou leur fonction
économique. Pas de zones de protection, ni de zones d’amont, d’eaux de baignade (two places on the Hoëgne are
anyway used as such). Pas d’eaux piscicoles (AGW du 15/12/94 fixant les normes générales d'immission des
eaux piscicoles (MB du 16/05/95)). Classement en zones vulnérables: aucune.
Table : Protection of water courses in the Vesdre basin (AERW du 25/10/90 désignant des zones de protection des eaux de surface (MB du
24/05/91)):
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BELGIUM
be delimited by an execution decree and then protected by the operator of the wells. Every
kind of withdrawals and discharges are subject to authorisation and taxation. Plans are set up
and subsidies mobilised to build purification plants. Intercommunales of purification are
empowered to do the task with public money.
At the same time, legislation is enacted in the direction of an integrated management of water.
The G&S living environment is recognised. First, a 1993 regional minister’s memorandum
defines the structure of a river contract and modalities to set it up. A 1994 decree requires an
environmental planning to protect all environmental topics, included a specific Plan wallon
de l’Eau for the water resource. The plan is not achieved yet. The same year a specific decree
regulates the navigation, especially kayaking, in Walloon streams.
The second period, i.e. after 1995, is marked with two regional decrees enacted in 1999. The
decree on the environmental permission integrates the management of hazardous activities
with environmental protection and spatial planning. A single permission will allow the
building of the plant and its exploitation in line with local particularities and the
environmental requirements. The legislation should be enforced in 2001. The second decree,
about the water cycle, proposes to restructure the anthropic water sector (production,
distribution and purification of distribution water) in order to finance the measures taken in
the former pieces of legislation of 1985 and 1990. The Société publique de Gestion de l’Eau
(SPGE) will manage public subsidies and distribute it among the actors of the sector. The
former structures build around the SWDE and the intercommunales of distribution and
purification remain in place.
The goods & services affected by changes in the policy design over the two periods (19802001) are : living environment, drinking water, production, absorption, support, recreation
and protection. Range of G&S affected by changes in the policy design are numerous.
However changes affecting the activities of production, absorption and support are not
relayed by changes in PR. For these G&S, also delimited by PR, the last change in PR
occurred in 1967. Since then the Region took the competence in the water field, but they are
not able to modify the civil code. It is only the Federal State that can do it, even if it is not
concerned by the resource. So the Walloon Region can operate only marginal changes in PR
and has recourse to more PD changes, the easiest to enact, than PR changes.
6.2
Identification of actors in the Vesdre basin
Formerly we have identified water users in the basin. Now we try to determine who are the
owners of property rights on the resource, according to the specific water uses. We also
Vesdre et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu'au captage du barrage d'Eupen
(contrôle cat. A2) à Eupen
Gileppe (bassin de la Vesdre) et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu'au captage du
barrage de la Gileppe (contrôle cat. A2) à Baelen
La Helle (Hill) (bassin de la Vesdre) et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu'au
Zones d’eaux naturelles
(eau dont les caractéristiques particulières sont dues à confluent avec la Vesdre, à Eupen
des causes naturelles; c’est le cas des eaux acides et
La Gileppe (bassin de la Vesdre) et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu'au lac de
peu minéralisées qui prennent naissance dans les
retenue du barrage de la Gileppe non compris, à Jalhay et Baelen
tourbières (Fagnes))
La Vesdre et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu’au lac de retenue du barrage
d’Eupen, non compris, à Raeren
La Vesdre et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu’au captage du barrage d’Eupen
Classement en zones sensibles
(AGW 15.10.1998 (et AM 24.05.1995, anc. AGW
La Gileppe et ses affluents, de leurs sources jusqu’au captage du barrage de la
08.12.1994) et AGW 25.02.1999 (et AM 24.05.1995, Gileppe
anc. AGW 20.03.1995):
La Vesdre, du barrage d’Eupen à sa confluence avec l’Ourthe
Zones d'eaux potabilisables
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BELGIUM
present the competence of the different public authorities that stress the local institutional
arrangement of the present water regime in Wallonia.
6.2.1
Allocation of property rights between local actors
When we look at the allocation on property rights on the resource at local scale , we observe a
wide variety of situations as already identified in the screening (see table 10).
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BELGIUM
Table 10: Allocation of property rights between users, 2001
G&S
1 Living environment
2 Drinking
water
3 Production
4 Energy
7 Recreation
8 Medical
uses
9 Protection
10 Strategic
reserves
Disposition rights
Use rights
Owners
Appropriators
Producers/
distributors of G&S
Self-limitation of
disposition rights by the
owners (either public or
private)
Final
consumers
Surface water
Public domain or
private properties
Natural reserves owned
by the Region (public) or
by environmental
associations (private)
Region
Groundwater
No property
SWDE
Régies communales
Industrial water
(excl. distribution
water)
Region
No property
(groundwater)
Region (potential drinking
water)
Industry
Industries
(authorization of
discharges)
Industries
Private works
Drainage, spreading No property
Farmers (indirect use)
Farmers
Farmers
Mineral water
Chaudfontaine
Monopole?
Chaudfontaine Monopole
Chaudfontaine
Monopole
Consumers
Municipality of Spa
Walloon Region
Spa Monopole
Spa Monopole
Spa Monopole
Consumers
Infrastructure for
tourism
Chaudfontaine
Monopole?
Chaudfontaine monopole
Dams
Region
MET
ERPE (SWDE)
Municipal swimming- Tourists
pool of
Chaudfontaine
Electrabel (surplus) ERPE
MET
Others (surplus)
Micro-production
plants ('biefs')
Region (presumption)
Private companies
Electrabel (surplus)
Private
Others (surplus)
No property
Region
Industries
Private works
AIDE
Industries
(authorization of
discharges)
AIDE
Region
Households
5 Transport & Direct discharges
absorption
6 Support
Formal ownership
rights
Public discharges
No property
(sewers)
Individual discharges No property
(surface or
groundwater)
Gravel extraction
No property
Fishing
Res communes
Landscape
No property
ERPE (SWDE)
Fauna and flora
SWDE
CILE (interbasin)
Households
Industries
Farmers
SWDE
Households
Régies communales Industries
Farmers
Households,
industries
Households
Landowner
Gralex (private
Industries
producer)
Private works
Region on NR and Riparian landowners on NNR Fishers (holding a
permit)
Sport
No property
Region (authorization)
Sport federation
Sportsmen
Thermal springs
Municipalities?
Spa Monopole
Chaudfontaine Monopole
SPADEL
Château d'Hauster
Customers
Region
Region
Region
Dams
Storm reservoir
Riparians
Zones liable to
flooding
Region
Region
Region
Dams
Storm reservoir
Region
Region
Region
Dams
Storm reservoir
Idem
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Water consumers
40
6.2.2
BELGIUM
Institutional arrangement at the local scale
Looking at regime developments we try to set the institutional arrangement as it is set on the
spot. We identified several actors of implementation, mostly public administration, if not
public actors (see table 11). We find out that the same actors operate in different fields are
competent for different G&S. We also observe that the community of actors is rather small
and integrated. Actors know each others and even have personal ties. They are often natives
of the area and are sensible to the protection of their region.
Table 11: Institutional arrangement in the Vesdre river basin
(See annex 1)
Table 12: Evolution of the competences of the institutional actors (1980-2001)
Echelon
d'administration
Service
Service
Compétences
de m en oe en 2000
Compétences
de m en oe en 1990
Certificats d'urbanisme
Permis d'urbanisme et permis de
lotir
Plans communaux
d'aménagement (réglementaire)
Communes décentralisées :
Schéma de structure communal
(réflexion LT), règlement
communal d'urbanisme et CCAT
Permis de bâtir
Plans communaux
d'aménagement
Plans particuliers d'aménagement
11
Communes
CCCE
Aménagement du
territoire
CCAT
12
Plans communaux
de développement
de la nature
CLDR
13
Gestion eau
Spa
Consultation de la population sur
questions locales
Programme d'action sur la biodiversité par les acteurs concernés
Inventaire du patrimoine naturel et paysager communal
Plan communal de développement rural
Mise en place d'une agence de développement local à Theux
AT, tourisme, etc.
Gestion des cours d'eau de cat.
3
Autorisation de déversement des
eaux domestiques dans égouts
publics
Epuration et égouttage
Gestion des cours d'eau de cat. 3
Autorisation de déversement des
eaux domestiques dans égouts
publics
Epuration et égouttage
Mesures d'urgence en cas de
pollution
Convention pour exploitation des Convention pour exploitation des
eaux de Spa.
eaux de Spa.
(2001) Délivrance des permis d'environnement (permis d'exploitation
et permis d'urbanisme, autorisations de prise d'eau et de rejet) de
clat. 1, 2 et 3 sous la supervision des fonctionnaires technique
(DGRNE) et délégué (DGATLP) (recours devant gvt régional)
11
Commission communale consultative d’environnement
Commission consultative d’aménagement du territoire
13
Commission locale de développement durable
12
10/03/03 - 13:03
41
Province de
Liège
14
DG Voies
hydrauliques
MET
DGRNE
16
BELGIUM
Siège à l'AIDE
Service provincial d'information
sur l'Environnement
RGPT, étab. classe 1 et recours
classe 2
Prises d'eau souterraine
Cours d'eau 2e cat. et
réglementation CENN
Régime forestier et vente de bois
Recours en matière
d'autorisation de plantation
Remembrement rural
RGPT, étab. classe 1 et recours
classe 2
Prises d'eau souterraine
Cours d'eau 2e cat. et
réglementation CENN
Division des
barrages
Sécurité des barrages
Plans d'urgence
Entretien
Gestion des réserves d'eau
Prévention des innondations et
soutien des étiages
Gestion de la centrale électrique
de la Gileppe
Sécurité des barrages
Plans d'urgence
Entretien
Gestion des réserves d'eau
Prévention des innondations et
soutien des étiages
Gestion de la centrale électrique
de la Gileppe
Division des
Programmes, de la
Réglementation et
des Etudes
Etudes et travaux relatifs à la
Etudes et travaux relatifs à la
production d'eau potable à partir production d'eau potable à partir
des barrages
des barrages
15
Etude du régime hydrologique
des fleuves et rivières
Prévisions des crues en temps
réel
DG Voies
hydrauliques
SEtHy
Division de l'eau
Direction des Cours Gestion et réseau limnimétrique
d'Eau non
des CENN 1ère cat.
navigables
Conseil technique aux
agriculteurs pour le drainage
Avis sur les aménagements de
berges
Direction des Eaux
de Surface
Etude du régime hydrologique des
fleuves et rivières
Prévisions des crues en temps réel
Gestion et réseau limnimétrique
des CENN 1ère cat.
Conseil technique aux agriculteurs
pour le drainage
Fixation des objectifs de qualité Objectifs de qualité
Autorisations de déversement
Classement des cours d'eau
(zones de protection ou zones
sensiles)
Gestion et contrôle des
autorisations de déversement
Modèle PEGASE
Gestion des réseaux de mesure
de la qualité des eaux à
l'immission
Supervision des contrats de
rivière
Gestion des traités
internationaux pour la Meuse et
l'Escaut
Réalisation des plans de gestion
et du Plan d'Action
Direction de la Taxe Perception de la taxe sur le déversement des eaux usées
et de la Redevance industrielles
Perception de la redevance sur les prises d'eau potabilisables et de
la contribution sur les prises d'eau souterraines auters que
potabilisables
Agrément des vidangeurs de fosses sceptiques
14
Ministère wallon de l’Equipement et des Transports
Service d’Etudes hydrologiques
16
Direction générale des ressources naturelles et de l’environnement du ministère de la Région wallonne
15
10/03/03 - 13:03
42
BELGIUM
Direction des Eaux
souterraines
Autorisations de captage et
contrôle
Relévés piézométriques et des
débits pompés
Contrôle de la qualité des
nappes phréatiques
Détermination des zones de
protection
Contrôle de l'eau alimentaire
(investissements, normes de
qualité, prix)
Indemnisation des dégâts liés
aux pompages
Contrôle de l'eau alimentaire
(investissements, normes de
qualité, prix)
Indemnisation des dégâts liés aux
pompage
Direction de
l'Epuration des Eaux
usées et de la
Distribution d'Eau
Investissements (collecteurs
stations d'épuration et de
pompage)
Subsides à l'exploitation des
ouvrages d'épuration
Subsides aux travaux de
démergement
Approbation des PCGE
Investissements (collecteurs
stations d'épuration et de
pompage)
Subsides à l'exploitation des
ouvrages d'épuration
Subsides aux travaux de
démergement
Approbation des PCGE
Direction de la
Protection des Sols
Suivi, préservation et amélioration de la qualité des sols
Valorisation des déchets organiques, dont les boues d'épuration
Gestion parcellaire (cartographie informatique)
Direction de
Production et de
Grands Transports
(ERPE)
Exploitation commerciale
d'ouvrages de production et
d'adduction d'eau, y c. des
centrales hydro-électriques
associées
Exploitation commerciale
d'ouvrages de production et
d'adduction d'eau, y c. des
centrales hydro-électriques
associées
Gestion écologique du milieu
naturel
Conservation de la nature
Code forestier
Parcs naturels
Chasse et pêche fluviale
Conservation de la nature
Code forestier
Parcs naturels
Chasse et pêche fluviale
Application de la législation
spécifique aux établissements
dangereux, insalubres ou
incommodes
y c. les carrières
Application de la législation
spécifique aux établissements
dangereux, insalubres ou
incommodes
y c. les carrières
Service extérieur,
centre de Liège
Division de la Nature et des Forêts
Service extérieur,
centre de Liège
Service extérieur,
centre de Malmédy
Division des Préventions et des
Autorisations
Service extérieur,
centre de Liège
Division de la Police de l'Environnement Contrôle de toutes les pollutions Mesures d'urgence en cas de
dans le domaine de l'eau
pollution
Recherche et poursuite des
délits
Intervention d'urgence en cas de
pollution (SOS Pollutions)
Service extérieur,
centre de Liège
Office régional wallon des déchets
DG Agriculture
10/03/03 - 13:03
Gestion des produits de curage et des boues d'épuration ?
Mesures agri-environnementales
Développement rural
Modalité d'épandage des gadoues
43
DGATLP
18
17
Plans de secteur
Politique foncière
CWATUP
Division de l'Aménagement et de
l'urbanisme
Aménagement régional (SDER)
Plans de secteur
Politique foncière
CWATUP révisé
Tutelle des outils locaux d'AT
Recours pour les permis
d'urbanisme
Tutelle des autorisations
délivrées par les communes
Direction
extérieure
Fonctionnaire délégué (permis d'urbanisme)
Certificat de patrimoine
Avis
19
SWDE , CILE ,
Etc.
AIDE
BELGIUM
20
SPGE
Perception de la redevance pour rejets domestiques
Protection de leurs captages
Assainissement et épuration
(sous contrat avec la SPGE)
Assainissement et épuration (sous
contrat avec la SPGE)
Financement du cycle anthropique de l'eau
Réalisation des travaux prioritaires d'égouttage en collaboration avec
les communes
17
Direction générale de l’aménagement du territoire, du logement et du patrimoine du ministère de la Région
wallonne
18
Société wallonne des Eaux
19
Compagnie intercommunale liégeoise des Eaux
20
Association intercommunal pour le démergement et l’épuration dans la région liégeoise
10/03/03 - 13:03
44
EUWARENESS is a research project on European Water Regimes and the
Notion of a Sustainable Status . Research institutes from six European countries
(Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Italy, Switzerland) have been cooperating in
this two year project (2000-2002). The project is supported by the European
Commission under the 5th Framework Programme, and co-ordinated by the
University of Twente in the Netherlands.
The EUWARENESS-project has focused on sustainable use of water resources by
means of integrated water management. It aims to contribute to the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive. A better understanding is needed of
the dynamic relationships between various conflicting uses of water resources, the
regimes under which these uses of water resources are managed, and conditions
generating regime shifts towards sustainability. The EUWARENESS-project studied
the long term evolution of 6 national regimes, and also - more in depth - the
specific regime transitions of 12 water basins across Europe during the last
decades. Important issues are the participation of users, redistribution of property
rights among users, the coherence between water rights and water policies.
More information: www.euwareness.nl
The EUWARENESS project is joined by:
University of Twente (project co-ordinator) - The Netherlands
Université Catholique de Louvain - Belgium
Université Francois Rabelais de Tours - France
Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona - Spain
Istituto per la Ricerca Sociale - Italy
Institut de Hautes Études en Administration Publique - Switzerland

Case Study 1: Vesdre River Basin

Transkript

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