Intensive use of groundwater in the European Union Water Framework Directive

In October 2000 the European Council together with the European Parliament approved the Water Framework Directive (WFD), which sets a framework for the protection of inland surface waters, transitional waters, coastal waters and groundwaters with the aim of achieving a good status of water bodies by the year 2015 (European Commission, 2000). This paper addresses the issue of intensive use of groundwater in the WFD. The main objectives and the overall approach of the WFD for groundwater planning, management, protection and control are described. Implications of the WFD for European countries are discussed, with special emphasis on semiarid areas and countries such as Spain, where groundwaters are intensively used for water supply and especially for irrigation.