|
Description
Types of reporting
Central Warning Stations of the parties
Description
The International Scheldt Commission has worked out a Warning and Alarm System of the Scheldt river basin district (WASS), which includes the procedures to be followed in case of a possible cross-border pollution. The reporting falls within the competence of the Parties; each Party directly notifies the other Parties concerned and at the same time copies in the ISC.
The WASS is only used for the reporting between the Parties' central warning stations. The internal procedures, both the instruction to the Central Warning Station to notify another (the other) Party and the reporting to be sent by the receiving Central Warning Station to the Party's water managers, are part of the individual Parties' responsibilities.
back
When is the WASS activated?
Each time a sudden deterioration of the Scheldt water quality endangers its use and/or threatens man, flora, fauna and the environment, the ISC’s “Warning and Alarm System” (WASS) is activated.
back
How does the WASS work?
The person noticing the pollution informs the proper authorities who then warn their country’s/region’s Central Warning Station concerned. The latter in turn notify the other countries’/regions’ main alerting stations in the Scheldt river basin by means of the WASS procedure
back
Up to 30th December 2010
Since the WASS came into force in 1998, a single reporting form was sent by fax. The International Scheldt Commission got a copy of all warning messages.
Since 2009, a digital warning procedure was developed in close collaboration with the International Meuse Commission (IMC), to be finalized in 2010. Two workshops with the operators of the central warning units were hold on March 13th and October 27th 2010 to implicate them in this development stage.
The trial period started on 10th May 2010. Along with the existing fax procedure, reporting was also done through the new on-line WASS procedure.
On 23rd June, a warning exercise took place to test the use of the digital form as well as communication (e-mail, telephone, fax). It allowed to correct some aspects of the internet communication and and the digital form.
In August, a map support was linked to the digital reporting form, with the following main added values: (i) geographical pinpointing of the polluting source, (ii) mentioning the water manager(s) involved, and (iii) visualization of the pollution flow's/flows' probable route.
During the 2nd common IMC-ISC Workshop with the operators, the warning exercise, the digital form, the digital map and the manual were thoroughly evaluated and where necessary improved.
back
As of 1st January 2011
The ISC's Plenary meeting (Boulogne-sur-Mer, 10/12/2009) approved the new digital procedure and instructed the Commission to make it operational in 2010. In case the internet connection falls out or the computer breaks down, the form must also be sent by fax.
In order to prepare the new procedure's operational implementation, an internal workshop with the International Meuse Commission was held in Liège on 18th March 2010. It was meant for the operators working for the Parties' Central Warning Stations. The new digital reporting procedure was explained and tested. The workshop was also meant to adjust the procedure where necessary. So some suggestions for improvement have been done which are presently being introduced in the digital form.
back
As of 01.05.2010
A 5 months trial period starts on 1st May. The Parties' Central Warning Stations will send the reporting digitally by means of the online WASS procedure. Besides the reports' automatic transmission by e-mail, a printed reporting form will each time be sent by fax.
A digital map is linked to the digital warning form, and these are its main added values: (i) the geographical location of the polluting source, (ii) indication of the water managers concerned, and (iii) the mapping of the polluting flow's likely route.
The map's functionalities are being worked out, and by the end of the trialg period, they should be entirely applicable.
Two tests are planned during the trial period: (i) a warning exercise regarding the exact electronic addresses, somewhere in May, and (ii) a warning exercise with a fictitious pollution at the end of September.
After the trial period, the WASS procedure will be amended according to the remarks and experience acquired during that period.
Mid October, the trial period will be closed with a Workshop for the evaluation of the digital form's amended version, the WASS manual, the warning exercise and the digital map.
back
As of December 2010
The new WASS procedure was approved by the Plenary Assembly on 11.12.2010 Middelburg (NL), who also authorized its official operational start on 1st January 2011.
In principle, the electronic Warning and Alarm System Scheldt (WASS) is now the only procedure to be used, on the understanding that, in case the internet or the computer fall out, the form is also to be sent by fax. Just like before, the ISC Secretariat gets a copy of all reporting.
On account of the IMC/ISC's cooperation success in developing and testing the on-line procedure, both Commissions have decided to continue this cooperation by: (i) pursuing the joint meetings and workshops, (ii) the joint management and fine tuning of the IT-support application (there is one single system but every Commission has its own forms), and (iii) a reduction of the hosting's and development's total cost, and of the cost per Commission (50/50 split).
back
Types of reporting
The new procedure also provides details on the various types of reporting, being (i) a warning, (ii) information, and (iii) the request for information. Finally, there is also the 'end of reporting' which allows to close down the WASS procedure.
back
Warning
An accidental pollution has been stated, and the Party on whose territory the pollution has come about judges that the pollution flow could reach the downstream Party (Parties) and that action is required due to the pollution's nature.
back
Information
There are two types of information:
(1) An accidental pollution has occurred, for which no cross-border effect is to be expected given the nature and/or the location of the incident and/or because of an action undertaken by the Party on whose territory the pollution occurred. It is however considered useful to inform the Parties.
(2) An accidental pollution has occurred or has been measured, and the Party on whose territory the pollution occurred does not have enough information in order to estimate its effects. This message is followed as soon as possible by a warning or by an 'end of reporting' message.
back
Request for information
When a downstream Party states a sudden change of water quality and suspects an upstream accidental pollution, this Party asks the upstream Party (Parties) for more detailed information.
back
End of reporting
Each warning, information or request for information is to be concluded by a closing message. By definition, this message is transmitted by the Party who started the Warning and Alarm System off. The Central Warning Station who sent out the initial reporting shall also send the closing message.
For every reporting, there is a specific closing message:
- a warning is concluded by an 'end of cross-border accidental pollution' message
- an information is either concluded by an 'end of a possible cross-border pollution', or it is followed by a warning (see Chapter 3)
- a request for information is concluded by an 'information provided' message.
back
Central Warning Stations of the parties
The CWS is the only authority that is allowed to start the warning and alarm system off. Every Contracting Party has one CWS. The CWS's contact details are known to all Contracting Parties.
A CWS is supposed to be available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
This means that CWS communicate well with the regional (water management) networks. Regional networks know of their CWS's existence and how they work. Besides, CWS are in permanent , well-kept communication with the other CWS.
Map of the main watercourses of the WASS and of the central warning stations (add empty RPBP form).
Attention: the map only gives the main rivers, yet a pollution of any watercourse can be reported as soon as there is a cross-border risk.
List of Central Warning Stations
F: Préfecture, Lille
W: Agence Prévention et Sécurité (APS) Marche en Famenne
BR: Police de l'Environnement, Bruxelles
VL: River Information System, Evergem
NL: Schelde Coördinatie Centrum, Vlissingen
back
|
