Water quality management programmes in the United Kingdom

The UK has a long history of dealing with water pollution problems; successive governments having initiated and modified the regulatory framework frequently over time. Currently, the UK is subject to Europe Union Council Directives on water. Unlike other member states, the UK has no river crossing national boundaries. Its water quality standards and the rationale behind them are discussed and UK regulations described. A new regulatory organisation, the Environmental Agency, was formed in March of 1996. In 1989 the largely public water supply and regulatory bodies were replaced by a privatised industry and a separate, independent regulatory authority. These and other changes are explored with reference to monitoring and the exchange of data. These are areas where a considerable amount of work is needed on cross-calibration and harmonisation.