More information
Description
The project aims to empower citizens in keeping clean their rivers, foster cooperation with authorities in wise use of watercourses. Based on our experience, if locals get in direct contact with water, they understand better the importance of waters for economic well-being, for a healthy environment and for reinforcing the communal identity (mainly smaller localities). Therefore, citizens grow interested in checking the authorities, in asking for solutions (infrastructure, smart development ideas, cleaning) and in participating in decision-making. A network of public authorities, NGOs, experts, schools can generate initiatives for effective, replicable solutions to strengthen sustainable communities. In 2019, our association initiated an Alliance, with the aim to improve legal framework / regulations to allow easy public access to water, to adopt modern, ecological water management solutions, to find ways to build adequate infrastructure for public access to water, to promote projects to transform waters from a merely cultural resource into a sustainable development engine and to harmonize access to water, landscaping works with flood protection requirements. We will evaluate the roles/competencies of members, find new members, specialize them (conference, access to best practices and experts, catalog of ideas, online platform), support the Secretariat of the Working Group with the Ministry of Environment, evaluate legislation, collect new legislative proposals, internal competitions, public consultations, educational workshops for children, national promotion campaign. The beneficiaries will be the members of the network, local / central authorities, citizens, students, teachers. Based on their expertise, the partners will mainly contribute to the drafting of the manual of communication procedures and collection of good practices, to the legislative research, consultations and collection of legislative proposals.
Summary of project results
The project addressed several challenges related to the hydrographic patrimony of Romania:
- Citizens lacked a personal or emotional connection to their local bodies of water, resulting in limited community involvement in advocating for better water management.
- Institutional shortcomings included poor collaboration between authorities responsible for water management, overlapping competencies, and inconsistent legislation.
To tackle the challenges, the project implemented the following activities and outputs:
- Established a network of 270 entities, including NGOs, public administrations, experts, and research units, with 50 entities actively engaged.
- Connected stakeholders with international experts, provided access to relevant documentation, and developed a dedicated website (comunitateaapei.ro) to consolidate knowledge and resources.
- Formed a working group with Bucharest’s local authorities to prepare funding documentation for the Dâmbovița river planning project under the PNRR program, offering a civil society-driven model for watercourse management.
- Hosted four conferences (two international) to share best practices and document case studies and organized consultations and participated in institutional dialogues to update legislation and promote ecological solutions for water management.
- Published a guide for mayors and produced educational materials. Conducted an awareness campaign targeting children aged 8-18 through 29 workshops and 21 public events on water conservation. Held a competition for municipalities investing in water management.
The project delivered the following outcomes and impacts:
- For local communities - Fostered stronger emotional and practical connections between citizens and local water bodies, encouraging proactive community involvement in keeping rivers clean and advocating for sustainable management.
- For authorities and stakeholders - Strengthened collaboration between civil society and local authorities, demonstrated through the successful preparation of funding documentation for the Dâmbovița river planning project. Enhanced knowledge and skills among network members through access to international expertise and best practices.
- For Children and Youth - Increased awareness of water conservation’s importance through targeted educational campaigns, workshops, and events.
- For Policy and Governance - Contributed to legislative updates and promoted ecological water management solutions by engaging with institutions like the WB, MDRAP, UTCB, ANAR, and the Presidency. Highlighted effective models of community-driven watercourse management, influencing broader practices and policies.