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10. CONCLUSIONS AND NEXT STEPS
Conclusions
These proposals will enable a consistent approach to be taken in assessing the status of Scotland's surface waters, groundwaters and heavily modified and artificial water bodies. They will also assist in assessing whether we have met our objectives for drinking water protected areas.
Taken together with the proposed standards and condition limits set out in our 2007 Directions and in our consultation of June 2008, " Development of environmental standards and conditions limits - phase II", these classification schemes will enable us to assess the effectiveness of our programme of measures in achieving our environmental objectives. They will enable us to protect those water bodies which are currently at good status or better; and help us to prioritise future measures for those water bodies most in need of improvement.
Next steps
Once we have taken into account responses to this consultation we propose to issue Ministerial Directions to SEPA on how it should classify our surface waters, groundwaters, heavily modified and artificial water bodies, and assess drinking water protected areas. The Directions will be published on the Scottish Government's website and notice of their publication will be made via the Edinburgh Gazette once they have been finalised.
These Directions will sit alongside the proposed 2008 Directions on environmental standards and condition limits, as well as the policy statements on objective-setting and environmental standards.
SEPA will issue its first comprehensive classification of Scotland's water environment in the River Basin Management Plan, due for publication in December 2009.
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