ECOAQUA XXI

Promotion of water quality of Somesul Mic, Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru rivers through strenghtening environmental partnerships

Collaborators: CN Apele Romane (Romanian National Water Company) – Department of Somes-Tisza and Department of Cris rivers and APM (Environmental Protection Agency) Cluj and Bihor

NECESSITY:

• Water quality of Somesul Mic, Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru rivers raises numerous problems. They spring from the future National Park of Apuseni Mountains, traverse big cities and cross borders. Pollution sources have continuously increased in number during last 10 years, change their character and affect seriously areas that that not long ago were practically unpolluted, like mountain rivers. (see Annex)

• Water quality monitoring on the three rivers by specialized institutions is insufficient, under necessities and standards. Although the problems are aggravating, authorities cannot cope with them and even more, monitoring activities are decreasing in frequency.

• Collaboration among different specialized institutions is in deficit while local communities, polluters, water users and environmental NGOs are not involved as much as they should be Water protection does receive the deserved place in local development plans. (See Annex)

• Access to water quality information and effective public participation in the environmental decision making process are still at a very low level.

• The level of information (regarding water quality problems, prevention and fight against pollution) of the population, mass-media, majority of local authorities and other structures is extremely low.

• In the area of the project there active experienced environmental NGOs, which can initiate necessary processes to rehabilitate present situation. All three organizations have developed good collaboration relations both among them and with other institutions (environmental, local and governmental authorities etc.) and have implemented project on water themes with important results both on local administration and scientific level.

• Specialized institutions cannot handle anymore the complexity of the problems and therefore, during last period, manifested willingness and openness for collaboration and partnerships. This makes the moment extremely suited to begin campaigning on the promotion of water quality of the three rivers through environmental partnerships.

PURPOSE:

Promotion of water quality of Somesul Mic, Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru rivers and of their tributary rivers through strenghtening knowledge and sustainable management and through developing environmental partnerships

OBJECTIVES:

1. Better monitoring process on the qality of water and polution

2. Improvement of commmunity and instituions information regarding the quality of water of envisaged rivers

3. Development of partnerships and public participation on water quality related problems in the bazins of the three rivers

4. Improvement of water quality of three rivers through better partnership based management of water and actions for prevention and removal of polution effects

5. Increasing the capacity of local environmental ngos to get involved in solving environmental problems

Objectives are detailed in Annex no.1

TARGET AREA: Hydrographic basins of Somesul Mic (from spring to Dej, with some of its important affluents), of Crisul Repede (from spring to Oradea including several affluents) and of Crisul Negru (from spring to Beius including several affluents). For details see Annex no. 2.

TARGET GROUP: local communities, public administration authorities at local and county level anf other institutions and organizations beased in the project area. For details see Annex no.3.

EXPECTED RESULTS:

1. Obtaining a holistic, real and up to date image of water quality of the 3 rivers and of affecting factors.

2. Increased level of public information on water and adopting ecological attitudes in the field.

3. Achivement of sustainable partnership among NGOs, authorities and water beneficiares and law improvement.

4. Increase in quantity and quality of environment NGO movement in the target area.

5. Beginning of real public participation in environmental decision making process in basins of the three rivers.

6. Start of cross border co-operation among NGOs from Romania, Hungary and Yougoslavia.

7. Creation of integrated water management plan.

8. Decrease of water pollution sources on the 3 rivers.

9. Increase of influence and reputation of environmental NGOs in the project area.

RESULTS EVALUATION: questionnaires of stakeholders and beneficiares, direct analyses (audit) from an expert; concrete results on the field; reflection in mass media; study on the materials (printed, filmed or photo); analyse of founded partnerships; trainers testing; other methods.

 

ANNEX TO NECESSITY

The area to be addressed by the project is primarily a mountain region, and practically covers most of the Northern part of Apuseni Mountains, with many protected sites that will be later included in the future National Park of Apuseni Mountains. Local communities in this region present numerous problems:

• irrational exploitation of forests (especially in the alpine area) with all expected results: terrain slides, soil erosion, high floods etc.

• lack of infrastructure regarding drinking water and household waste water treatment, with negative effects on the water quality right from its first course part

• lack of a system for waste treatment, in the context of radical changes that occurred in waste structure and also the old mentality of waste disposal on river valleys or edge of the villages with serious impact on the quality of soil and water

• alarming increase of sawmills and quantity of sawdust chaotically disposed with impact on soil, water and landscape

• lack of clear common vision, of local community development strategy (with a coherent action plan) with negative effects on the chances of integration of local communities in the context of European development trends

• difficulties in reaching local communities with relevant information, lack of transparency in disseminating information

• lack or inefficiency of formal structures ready to participate in the decision making process

Annex no.2

AREA TO BE IMPLEMENTED THE PROJECT IN

Hydrographic basins of Somensul Mic, Crisul Repede and Crisul Negru

• the main course of Somesul Rece and Somesul Cald, from their springs until the flow in Gilau lake, including Fantanele, Tarnita and Somesul Cald lakes, plus the courses of several secondary tributaries (Ponor, Calineasa, Belis, Racataul, Agarbiciul etc.)

• the main course of Somesul Mic from Gilau to Dej, plus the courses of several tributaries (Capus, Garbau etc.)

• the main course of Crisul Repede, from spring to Oradea, plus the courses of the most important tributaries (Hent, Dragan, Iad etc.)

• the main course of Crisul Negru, from spring to Beius, plus the courses of several tributaries (Crisul Pietros, Crisul-Baita etc.)

Annex no. 3

TARGET GROUP

Public administration authorities on local and county level, local communities and other institutions and organizations with activity in the area:

• County Council Cluj and County Council Bihor

• Local Councils in the region

• Companies and public services of water and sewerage in the area (RAJAC Cluj, RAJAC Oradea, water supply and sewerage from Alesd, Stei, Beius, Gherla, Dej, Huedin etc.)

• Departments for environmental hygiene and sanitarium police under the control Public Health Department of Cluj and Bihor County

• Scientific and education institutions which develop studies on water quality (Public Health Institute Cluj, Biological Research Institute Cluj, and respectively the faculties of Oradea University, Technical University, Babes-Bolyai and Iuliu Hatieganu from Cluj

• Institutions that can contribute indirectly to the water quality in the region through the influence on mountain area activities and on local development: ADR West and North-West (Regional Development Agency), County Departments of National Company of Forests

• Institutions and firms that intervene in case of serious pollution accidents (Civil Protection, construction companies etc.)

• Industrial polluters in the area

• Other water beneficiaries (Electricity Company, Water-plant Company etc.)

• Enterprises offering tourism services

• Other NGOs (environmental, mountain sports, fishing and hunting, local development etc.) which develop activities in the region