The recent publication of the Application Guide of the new Regulation of the Public Hydraulic Domain (RDPH), approved by RD 665/2023 and updating RD 49/1986, introduces important new features in the protection of groundwater against point source contamination.
Among the main changes, the guide specifies new criteria for conducting Phase II investigations, establishing clear guidelines on the scope of the investigations and the deadlines for submitting the documentation to the competent hydraulic administration. These guidelines seek to improve the early detection and management of contamination hotspots in aquifers.
Annex II of the document also includes the generic reference values for groundwater (GGNRV and GGIV), which are fundamental parameters for the evaluation of the quality of the resource. Some of these values have been updated and must therefore be taken into account in the comparison with the results obtained in the Phase II investigations.
This regulatory update reinforces the commitment to a more rigorous and sustainable management of water resources, in a context of increasing pressure on aquifers due to climate change and human activities.