THE FIRST DAY OF THE EU-WATERRES PROJECT ONLINE CONFERENCE

On November 9, 2021, under SE “Zahidukrgeologiya” chairmanship and in the association with the Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute as the Project Leader, the first day of a two-day online conference took place in the framework of the international Project 2018-1-0137 “EU-integrated management system of cross-border groundwater  resources and anthropogenic hazards” (https://eu-waterres.eu/).

5 countries – Poland, Norway, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine.

9 Project Partner Institutions.

32 entities and organisations interested in the Project deliverables.

68 representatives.

Geography – from Norwegian Oslo and Trondheim to Ukrainian Lviv, Kyiv and Sloviansk, from Polish Warsaw to Estonian Tallinn and Latvian Riga.

11 insightful presentations.

4 hours of enriching presentations and intense discussions!

The project No.2018-1-0137 “EU-WATERRES: EU-integrated management system of cross-border groundwater resources and anthropogenic hazards” benefits from a € 2.447.761 grant Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA and Norway Grants Fund for Regional Cooperation. The aim of the Project is to promote coordinated management and integrated protection of the cross-border groundwaters by creating a geoinformation platform.

On the first conference day, Poland was represented by the Ministry of Infrastructure, State Water Holding “Polish Waters”, General Directorate for Environmental Protection, Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute, Chief Inspectorate of Environmental Protection, Regional Water Management Board in Rzeszów, Municipal Department of Żurawica, Municipal Department of Wola Uhruska, Municipal Department of Lubaczow, Municipal Department Ustrzyki Dolne.

Norway was represented by the Norwegian Geological Survey, The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate.

Latvia was represented by the University of Latvia, Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Center, State Environmental Service of Latvia.

Estonia was represented by the Ministry of Environment, Geological Survey of Estonia.

Ukraine was represented as follows:

Ukrainian Geological Service

Institute of Geological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine

Semenenko Institute of Geochemistry, Mineralogy and Ore Formations

State Agency of Water Resources

Private Join-Stock Company “National Join-Stock Company “Nadra Ukrainy”

Ivan Franko Lviv National University

Department of Ecology and Natural Resources of Lviv Regional State Administration

Basin management board for water resources of the Western Bug and San rivers

ACTED-Ukraine

State Enterprise “Ukrainian Geological Company”

Subsidiary enterprise “Zahidukrgeologiya”

State enterprise “Lvivvughiliya”

State Enterprise “Ukrgeokaptazhminvod”

Regional office for water resources in Volyn Region

National University of Veterinary Medicine and Biotechnologies in Lviv

Shatskyi National Nature Park

Enterprise “Lvivvodokanal”

Zolochiv City Council (Lviv Region)

Municipal Enterprise “Horodok Water Supply and Sewerage”

“Novovolynskvodokanal” Housing and Communal Enterprise of Novovolynsk City Council

“Quartz” Limited Liability Company

Eleven presentations were made by the Polish Geological Institute as the Project Leader Partner as well as by the National Geological Services of Norway, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine and the WATERRES Project participants.

The presentations were devoted to the Project information; the first results on resource assessment and modelling in two pilot areas, namely in the cross-border zones of Latvia and Estonia and that of Poland and Ukraine; structures and tasks of national geological and hydrogeological services of the partner countries such as Norway, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine; and specific features of the implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Ukraine and Latvia.

 

As a conclusion of the first conference day, the Project Coordinator Professor Tatiana Solovey highlighted the utmost relevance of cross-border groundwater management and in particular the WATERRES Project, as evidenced by a wide range of participants and the high professional level of presentations, and also praised the efforts of SE “Zahidukrgeologiya” team in preparing and holding the online conference.

 

 

THE SECOND DAY OF THE EU-WATERRES PROJECT ONLINE CONFERENCE

On 10 November 2021, under the chairmanship of SE “Zahidukrgeologiya” and in cooperation with Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute as the Project Leader Partner the second day of our two-day online conference took place in the framework of the international Project Project Number: 2018-1-0137 EU-WATERRES integrated management system of cross-border groundwater resources and anthropogenic hazards”.

The second conference day was dedicated to the whole range of Ukraine and Poland transboundary groundwater issues and characterised by the applicability and relevance of topics raised in presentations and discussions.

Besides Project partners and institutions representing Norway, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine at the conference, the conference second day was also attended by the representatives of local authorities, production and utility companies based in the frontier areas of Poland and Ukraine.

A total of 74 participants from about 40 institutions and organisations from Norway, Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Ukraine registered for the second day of the conference.

The following papers were presented and discussed:

• Development of cross-border cooperation between Ukraine and Poland in the process of implementing the provisions of the Water Convention and the Water Framework Directive – Halyna Medvid / The Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Combustible Minerals (Ukraine).
• Perspective for the development of a cross-border groundwater monitoring network between Poland and Ukraine – Tomasz Gidziński,Tatiana Solovey, Michał Galczak / Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (Poland ).
• Hydrogeological research at the Institute of Geological Sciences of the NAS of Ukraine – Ruslan Havryliuk / Institute of Geological Sciences of the NAS of Ukraine (Ukraine).
• Sustainable water management according to the Water Framework Directive – Małgorzata Woźnicka / Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (Poland ).
• Management of ecological safety of hydrogeological environment on mining branches of mines SE “Lvivvughiliya” – Volodymyr Lazar / State Enterprise “Lvivvughiliya” (Ukraine).
• Groundwater body – methodology of determination and characterization – Małgorzata Woźnicka, Anna Gryczko-Gostyńska / Polish Geological Institute – National Research Institute (Poland ).
• Sources of groundwater pollution in the zone of influence of the Nemyriv area of underground sulfur smelting on the Ukrainian-Polish border – Vasyl Dyakiv / Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Faculty of Geology (Ukraine).
• Prospects and feasibility of increasing groundwater resources with waters of the highest quality for Lviv water supply – Vasyl Pavliuk / Lviv City Municipal Enterprise “Lvivvodokanal” (Ukraine).

A total of 8 reports were presented and were followed by questions, answers and discussions.

On behalf of the EU-WATERRES Project partners we would like to express our gratitude to all participants of the online conference and invite all those who are interested in the Project outcomes to cooperate with us. Please send your suggestions to the e-mail address indicated on the Project website.

As a conclusion of the second conference day, the Project Coordinator Prof. Tatiana Solovey highlighted the utmost relevance of cross-border groundwater management and in particular the practicability of issues raised at the conference including those regarded to the EU-WATERRES Project results as well as a wide range of participants, high professional level of presentations, and also praised the efforts of SE “Zahidukrgeologiya” team in preparing and holding the online conference.