Groundwater abstraction areas intended for the production of drinking water

Article 8 (https://eur-lex.europa.eu/NL/legal-content/summary/drinking-water-essen…) of the European Drinking Water Directive (2020/2184) defines catchment areas or abstraction areas. These abstraction areas are the feeding areas for the drinking water extraction of public water utilities. The designation of these abstraction areas is crucial for source protection, which is linked to the new European Drinking Water Directive. For these areas, the water companies must draw up a risk assessment and management plan and carry out checks. The designation of the groundwater abstraction areas does not, as such, have a direct impact on the actions of actors in the areas concerned through generic restrictions. However, it is planned that the abstraction areas can be used to better substantiate the already existing impact assessment within the regular environmental permit policy. Extractions that are no longer active are referred to as reserve abstraction areas. The indication on the map is about the regional border. The Flemish Government has no power to restrict or prohibit acts in the Walloon Region.