Strengthening of Marine and Inland Water Management – Part One

Project facts

Project promoter:
The Environmental Protection Agency
Project Number:
LT02-0001
Target groups
Researchers or scientists
Status:
Completed
Initial project cost:
€1,605,596
Final project cost:
€1,585,245
From EEA Grants:
€ 1,347,458
The project is carried out in:
Lithuania

Description

Protection of water recources and implementation of sustainable marine and inland water management is one of the main environmental challenges in Europe. The goal of the project is to optimize a monitoring and inventory system for hazardous materials. To achieve this, potential sources of pollution and hazardous substances will be identified. This will ensure effective control of water quality at both national and European Union level. The main activities of the project are: 1. To carry out inventory of sources of hazardous substances entering into water bodies. 2. To monitor hazardous materials that are relevant at European Union level, but have not been explored in Lithuania. 3. To prepare monitoring program of hazardous substances in water bodies.

Summary of project results

Protection of water resources and implementation of sustainable management of marine and inland waters is one of the main environmental challenges in Europe. Human activity exerts various pressures on water bodies which result in deterioration of quality of water, that’s why environmental status of the Baltic Sea and inland waters of Lithuania does not comply with the requirements of "good status". The aim of the project was to optimize a monitoring and inventory system for hazardous substances. While implementing the project, the inventory of emissions of hazardous substances into water bodies was completed, quantities of hazardous substances were systematised, analysed and economic entities were identified where wastewater discharges may contain hazardous substances. Quantities of hazardous substances entering the environment were identified in accordance with Directive 2008/105/EC. In order to monitor hazardous materials that are relevant at EU level, but have not been explored in Lithuania, a list of polluting substances was drawn up that comprises priority substances of the Water Frame Directive (WFD) and other emissions specified in WFD and in Dangerous Substances Directive. The list included 102 substances. The sites of 80 discharge outlets (economic entities) were selected for monitoring wastewater (in surface water, sludge and bottom sediment), where samples were taken. The samples were also taken from the inland waters, the Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea. All samples were analysed and the concentrations of hazardous substances were evaluated, chemical status of waters according to hazardous substances concentrations in water, sediments and biota was assessed. Furthermore, in order to prepare monitoring programme of hazardous substances in water bodies, concentrations of hazardous substances in the environment (water, sediments and biota) were reviewed and monitoring programmes of priority substances in other EU countries like Germany, Estonia and Poland were evaluated. As a result of the project, an optimized monitoring programme for hazardous substances for the period of 2016-2021 for inland waters, Curonian Lagoon and the Baltic Sea was presented. The project contributed to the increased capacity of the Environmental Protection Agency to assess and predict environmental status in marine and inland waters.

Summary of bilateral results