16 Jan 2017
Research Brief // Cooperative Agreements between the Water and the Agricultural Sector
By Carmen Richerzhagen and Waltina Scheumann. The agricultural and drinking water sectors are closely interconnected. By increasing production levels, the agricultural sector has made a major contribution to meeting growing global food requirements in recent decades. This has been made possible by, among other things, the use of nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorous) and pesticides. In industrialised nations and many emerging economies and developing countries, the intensification of agriculture and the increased use of nitrogen and phosphorous has led to a heavy influx of pollutants into surface and ground water, with a highly detrimental effect on water quality and biodiversity in water bodies
Even though agriculture is not the only source of nitrogen and phosphate enrichment in water bodies, it can contribute to significantly impairing other uses reliant on good water quality, such as the supplying of households with drinking water.
In order to avoid health risks resulting from poor drinking water quality and meet national drinking water standards, use can be made of advanced modern water treatment technologies, though these technologies entail significant investment and operating costs. By contrast, there have been some very positive experiences with voluntary, intersectoral cooperation agreements in Germany, other European countries and the United States. Farmers and water providers agree on water-friendly agricultural practices in water protection areas in order to improve the production and quality of drinking water (provision of ecosystem services).
These measures are financed by the water companies. Drinking water partnerships are considered a suitable and effective approach for reducing agricultural run-off to the benefit of both parties.