Described by the European Commission as an operational tool to set the objectives for future water protection, the Water Framework Directive (WFD) has to be turned into national legislation within each Member State by December 2003. The implications for the power industry are presently unclear but the Association of Electricity Producers (AEP) believes the Directive will affect its members in a number of significant ways. Described as the most substantial piece of water legislation to come from the EC to date, the Water Framework Directive sets out to promote sustainable water consumption based on the long-term protection of available water resources. It deals with the whole spectrum of inland and coastal waters and adopts a river basin approach, requiring all water to reach at least 'good status' (relating to chemical and ecological quality) by 2015. In protecting and improving the aquatic environment, the Directive will also implement specific measures to reduce, phase out or cease certain discharges and emissions of priority substances.