The German Federal Environment Agency has assigned an environmental research project

“Strategies for implementation of the requirements of the Water Framework Directive under Article 11 (3) (L) for prevention and reduction of the effects of unforeseeable water pollution of industrial plants”

in the field of accident prevention and response in water management to the Hamburg Institute for Hygiene and Environment in cooperation with the University of Leipzig, Chair for Environmental Technology/ Environmental Management.

The task of this project is to evaluate whether present regulations and the recommendations of transnational conventions of site-oriented water pollution control are sufficient to meet the requirements of the Water Framework Directive.

It is aiming to develop exemplary models for action schemes with respect to Art. 11 (3) (L) WFD to be incorporated into river basin management plans which have to be drawn up until 2009.

The investigations will be based on analyses to what extent the provisions of relevant EU Directives as well as recommendations of the UN-ECE and International River Basin Commissions (at Danube, Elbe, Rhine, Odra) already contribute to the implementation of Art 11 (3) (L). A focus will be on possible weak points and the recommendations for cost efficient measures for prevention of, preparedness for and response to accidental pollution incidents.

To support the project there will be two workshops with experts from the EU.