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3.5. Chemical status of groundwater and exemptions

Annex V of the WFD specifies how Member States are to monitor groundwater and present chemical status classification results. The detailed provisions and criteria for status assessments are laid down in the Groundwater Directive (GWD) (2006/118/EC).

In addition to the reporting requirements of the WFD, the GWD introduces several additional reporting requirements to ensure that groundwater body status has been defined according to its provisions, and in a consistent and comparable way across the EU.

Both the WFD and GWD require that the results of the chemical status assessment and the methodology used to classify groundwater bodies are reported. The requirements are laid down in WFD Annex V, GWD Article 4, and Annex III (reporting requirements in GWD Article 4.4 and Annex III point 5).

Articles 4(4) to 4(9) of the WFD allow Member States to extend the deadlines for the achievement of good status or to set other objectives under certain specified circumstances. Additional information can be found in the CIS Guidance Document No. 20: Exemptions to the Environmental Objectives agreed in 2005.

Articles 4(4) to 4(9) go on to require Member States to provide information in the RBMP regarding such extensions or other objectives and their reasons.