Groundwater Quality Management In Selected European Countries

Groundwater is an indispensable resource in many parts of the world, where it supports domestic water supply, irrigated agriculture and industry. Its increased, and often intensive, use during the last half century has created problems and raised concerns regarding the potential depletion of local aquifers, water quality degradation and various geo

Recoge: 1.Introduction - 2.Driving forces - 3.Pressures on groundwater quality - 4.Pressures on groundwater quantity - 5.Status of groundwater quality - 6.Status of groundwater quantity - 7.Policy measures and instruments.

The aim of this book is to document for the first time the dimensions and requirements of effective integrated groundwater management (IGM). Groundwater management is a formidable challenge, one that remains one of humanity’s foremost priorities. It has become a largely non-renewable resource that is overexploited in many parts of the world. In the 21st century, the issue moves from how to simply obtain the water we need to how we manage it sustainably for future generations, future economies, and future ecosystems. The focus then becomes one of understanding the drivers and current state of the groundwater resource, and restoring equilibrium to at-risk aquifers. Many interrelated dimensions, however, come to bear when trying to manage groundwater effectively. An integrated approach to groundwater necessarily involves many factors beyond the aquifer itself, such as surface water, water use, water quality, and ecohydrology. Moreover, the science by itself can only define the fundamental bounds of what is possible; effective IGM must also engage the wider community of stakeholders to develop and support policy and other socioeconomic tools needed to realize effective IGM. In order to demonstrate IGM, this book covers theory and principles, embracing: 1) an overview of the dimensions and requirements of groundwater management from an international perspective; 2) the scale of groundwater issues internationally and its links with other sectors, principally energy and climate change; 3) groundwater governance with regard to principles, instruments and institutions available for IGM; 4) biophysical constraints and the capacity and role of hydroecological and hydrogeological science including water quality concerns; and 5) necessary tools including models, data infrastructures, decision support systems and the management of uncertainty. Examples of effective, and failed, IGM are given. Throughout, the importance of the socioeconomic context that connects all effective IGM is emphasized. Taken as a whole, this work relates the many facets of effective IGM, from the catchment to global perspective.

The global attention in recent years has focused primarily on water quantity and allocation issues. Water quality has received significantly less attention than water quantity. Commendable progress has been made by the developed world to control point sources of pollution, but commensurate progress in reducing non-point sources has not been made. In the third world countries both point and non-point sources of pollution are becoming increasingly a serious concern. Already, nearly all water bodies in such countries near and around urban centres have been severely polluted, with very high health and environmental costs. The book assesses the current status of water quality management in both developed and developing worlds, as well as analysing the effectiveness of economic instruments and legal and institutional frameworks to control water contamination. It outlines the importance of building up social and political awareness to reverse the trend of continuing water quality deterioration, which is likely to be a most challenging task in the coming years. This book was published as a special issue of International Journal of Water Resources Development.

This book focuses on sustainable use and protection of transboundary aquifers located along the eastern border of European Union starting from the Baltic Sea and end in the Black Sea. The groundwater resources in this region play a very important role not only as a source of clean and safe drinking water, but also for social, economic and safety reasons. This publication sheds light on a wide range of real problems related to the management of groundwater, problems that are characteristic for most countries situated in the East European region. It also identifies potential threats that may materialise in the absence of cooperation between countries and appropriate measures to jointly manage the shared water resources in the region. Experience from some ongoing projects towards integrated management of transboundary aquifers (research, monitoring and data analysis) is reported. The book is addressed, in particular, to groundwater academics, researchers and experts as well as water management specialists interested in solving environmental issues extended to more than one country territory. On the other hand presented knowledge and experience would be also useful for decision makers especially to support environmental decision processes in border areas and work on preparation of international agreements on groundwater management.