Nitrate Vulnerable Zone

From Free net encyclopedia

Under the 1991 EU Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC) any catchment where agriculture contributes more than 20% of the nitrate (NO3-)in the water body is designated a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone.

This is some times confused with the 1980 Water for Human Consumption Directive (80/778/EEC) which gives the Maximum Admissible Concentration of nitrate in water to be abstracted for human consumprion (i.e. potable drinking water) at 50 mg/l. It also gives a guideline concentration at 25mg/l.

More information on these topics can be found on the European Environmental Agency (EEA) website http://www.eea.eu.int/