Policy context
Water policy - Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC (Valencia): implementation, impacts and effectiveness
| Authors: | Artemio Cerda, Felix Gonzalez |
| Coordinating authors: | Constantinos Kosmas, Ruta Landgrebe, Sandra Nauman, Marit de Vries |
| Editors: | Alexandros Kandelapas, Jane Brandt |
Editor's note 20Mar14: Source D142-5
Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC, concerning the protection of waters against pollution from agricultural activities, requires of Member States to:
- identify waters affected or potentially affected by pollution,
- designate vulnerable zones,
- develop codes of good agricultural practices,
- develop monitoring programs to assess the effectiveness of action programs and designate, modify or expand the list of vulnerable zones,
- conduct periodic reviews, at least every four years, on the designation of vulnerable zones and action programs, and
- develop and submit to the EU Commission a progress report every four years.
The Directive is transposed in Spain by Royal Decree 261/1996. Among other requirements, it defines the limit of nitrate contamination in 50 mg/l. It also requires that within six months the Autonomous Communities identify those areas vulnerable to nitrate pollution.
Legal framework for protection against agricultural pollution (Nitrates Directive)
| Legal framework Main legal text |
Objectives |
| 91/676/CEE, concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources | Establishes the basis for protection against water pollution from agriculture. |
| Royal Decree 261/1996, of 16th February, on the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources | Establishes the necessary steps to prevent and correct pollution, inland and coastal, caused by nitrates from agricultural sources. |
| Royal Decree 13/2000, of 25th January, designates certain municipalities vulnerable to water pollution by nitrates from agricultural sources | Designates vulnerable areas of Valencia for the purposes specified in the Royal Decree 261/1996. |
| Order of December 12th, 2008, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, sets the agenda for action in the areas designated as vulnerable, in order to retrieve the values below 50 mg / l of nitrate ion | Agenda on areas designated as vulnerable to reduce and prevent water pollution by nitrates from agricultural activities. |
Source: Authors
The main policy actor is the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food sets the agenda for actions in the areas designated as vulnerable in order to reduce nitrate contamination.
Valencian Royal Decree 13/2000 identifies areas vulnerable to nitrate pollution. Among the areas affected by water pollution, there are 10 located in the two municipalities of the Cànyoles River Basin (i.e. L'Alcúdia de Crespins, Canals, the Farm of the Coast, Llosa de Ranes, Llanera de Ranes, Novelé, Rotglá and Corberá, Sellent, Villanueva de Castellón, and Xativa).