Farmland under NVZs set to increase in Y2K
Farmland under NVZs set to increase in Y2K
By Alistair Driver
THE area of farmland covered by Nitrate Vulnerable Zones is set to be increased under a government initiative to bring the UK in line with a wider interpretation of the EU Nitrates directive.
The exact number and location of the new NVZs, expected to affect many more farmers, will be revealed in a Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions consultation paper next year.
The move aims to reduce nitrate levels in all freshwater, as well as drinking water, in response to EU Commission concerns that most member states are not implementing the nitrates directive to the letter.
NVZs define water catchment areas where nitrate levels in water exceed, or are likely to exceed, the legal limit of 50 mg/litre set out in the directive. There are currently 66 NVZs in England covering 600,000 ha (1.5m acres).
Michael Payne, pollution consultant for the NFU, said he expected the majority of proposed new NVZs would be in central and eastern England.
Central and eastern England have the lowest rainfall in the UK and, therefore, less water to dilute nitrate levels to below the limit, he said.
"When you consider the relatively small proportion of all freshwater used for drinking, it is not unreasonable to expect that a lot of new farmers could be affected by the changes when all freshwaters are taken into account."
Farmers currently within NVZs must implement action programmes, based on "good agricultural practice" to help reduce nitrate levels.
The timing and quantity of fertiliser application and manure application are among the protection measures.
"The NFU will be working hard to ensure that harsher rules are not introduced in the future," said Mr Payne.
He said NVZ legislation overlaps with forthcoming Integrated Pollution Prevention Control legislation.
Pig or poultry farmers with IPPC permits will not be required to duplicate nitrate pollution measures.
Nitrate levels in non-drinking surface waters are being monitored by the Environment Agency.
Parallel work will establish nitrate levels in groundwater not used as drinking water. Assessment of the monitoring is under way and mapping of the proposed NVZ areas is expected to be completed next year. *