Nitrate Vulnerable Zones

Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs) are areas within Scotland that contain surface water or groundwater that is susceptible to nitrate pollution from agricultural activities. They are designated in accordance with the requirements of the European Commision's Nitrates Directive 91/676/EEC, aims to protect water quality across Europe by preventing nitrates from agricultural sources polluting ground and surface waters and by promoting the use of good farming practices. The Scottish Government is responsible for maintaining and improving the quality of the aquatic environment, and carries out a review of the NVZ areas every four years. In 2016, five areas of Scotland were designated as NVZs under the following regulations: The Designation of Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2014 (SSI 2014/373). The five NVZ areas were designated as nitrate levels from agricultural sources either resulted, or would likely result, in a concentration equal or exceeding 50 milligrammes of nitrate per litre of water in either surface water or groundwater. The five areas within Scotland, currently designated as NVZs, are: Aberdeenshire, Banff, Buchan and Moray, Strathmore and Fife, Stranraer Lowlands, Edinburgh, East Lothian and Borders, and Lower Nithsdale.

NVZs were most recently reviewed in 2017 and it was concluded that no changes to the data were required.

硝酸盐易感区域（NVZs）是指苏格兰境内包含地表水或地下水的区域，这些水体容易受到农业活动引起的硝酸盐污染。这些区域根据欧洲委员会《硝酸盐指令》91/676/EEC的要求被指定，旨在通过防止农业来源的硝酸盐污染地表水和地下水，并推广良好的农业实践，以保护欧洲的水质。苏格兰政府负责维护和改善水生环境质量，并每四年对NVZ区域进行一次审查。2016年，根据《硝酸盐易感区域指定（苏格兰）法规》2014（SSI 2014/373），苏格兰的五处区域被指定为NVZ，其农业来源的硝酸盐水平要么已经，要么可能达到每升水含硝酸盐50毫克的浓度，无论是地表水还是地下水。目前被指定为NVZ的苏格兰五个区域分别是：阿伯丁郡、班夫、布坎和莫雷、斯特拉斯莫尔和费夫、斯特兰雷尔低地、爱丁堡、东洛锡安和边界以及尼思河谷下。NVZ区域最近于2017年进行了审查，结论为无需对数据进行任何更改。