Improving the quality of shared water assets in Est-Rus border area

Water is an essential natural resource. Living beings cannot survive without a pure water. It also important for household as well as for industrial use. It is the source of power, facility for tourism, fishing and farming. Water and its management, protection and distribution remains one of the 21st century’s most important local, regional and national as well as transboundary issues. Cleanliness of rivers flowing through different countries, - lakes and seas the shores of which are located in different countries have thus very important role in protection of common water resources and in creation of livable environment. A large Lovat river flows through the city of Velikiye Luki and then to the Lake Peipsi income water system, and variety of water bodies from the Alutaguse area runs to Lake Peipsi through the network of streams. The ecological status of both watersheds has a significant impact on the common water resources (including the basin of Peipsi and Pskov lakes) in the Program area. In the Estonian-Russian cross-border region, the following problems have been identified: 1) Technology and equipment used in wastewater treatment leads to the risk of pollution of common water resources. 2) In the Estonian-Russian cross-border region there are good examples about efficient technologies and scientific approaches used in the wastewater treatment but this knowledge is not widespread. Developing cross-border approaches to water management and protection of shared water assets allows the ecologically sustainable use of natural resources while improving the social and economic conditions and quality of life of people in the region. Cross-border cooperation for improving the quality of shared water assets by reducing their pollution load is focused on solving common problems of the region - protecting common water resources, thus environment and biodiversity. The main objective of the PureWater project is to ensure in a long run a decent living environment, high quality of common water resources (especially Lovat river and underground streams in Alutaguse area) while improving the management of wastewater treatment technologies, increasing the expertise and awareness about wastewater treatment technologies and protection of water resources in the Estonian and Russian border areas. Project activities have been planned and designed in such a way that they contribute as effectively as possible to meet the objectives of the project. The main project activities are: - Improvement of wastewater treatment facilities in Velikiye Luki and Alutaguse; - Study on improvement of water treatment technology in Velikiye Luki; - Action plans for Alutaguse administration and “Vodokanal” in Velikie Luki for protection of water resources; - Developing a manual for water companies and municipalities on improvement of water treatment technologies and corresponding policies in both countries in order to diminish the risk of pollution of water assets, including an overview of environment regulations and normative; - Arrangement of workshops for specialists (municipalities, professionals of field, scientists) for spreading the knowledge and figuring out best practices available in the region (including results from improvement of wastewater facilities in Velikiye-Luki and Alutaguse and studies carried out in the project); - Creation of cross-border network. The PureWater project will give significant added value while fulfilling the main objectives: - Improved ecosystems in water bodies will create socio-economic benefits for inhabitants of of Estonia and Russia border regions; - Creation of the network of experts in field of wastewater treatment and protection of environment as well as knowledge exchange in the Program area. Raised awareness and enhanced professional capacity of professionals and politicians creates a good basis for a long-term and sustainable environmental policy-making in the region. Project activities and results derived from them have far-reaching positive effect for overcoming the borders of the cities participating in the project, as well as of the program area. Knowledge which will shared with help of the project activities will help shape the long-term and sustainable strategies for the environment and the introduction of more efficient technologies in the wastewater treatment in other cities and regions that are not directly engaged in the project. Project activities will contribute to the execution of local, regional as well as national and international strategies like European Water Initiative and others, thus having a much broader meaning. Technological novelties implemented by partners will be observed within the project and communicated outside the project. Different involvement methods will be used in implementation of project activities.

Programme strategic objective TO 6 "Environmental protection, climate change mitigation and adaptation" is targeted for increasing readiness to eliminate pollution in the Lake Peipsi/Chudsko-Pskovskoe and to prevent pollution of more then 42 lakes in Kurtna area (in relation to equipment, joint activities, and reaction). Project activities will directly contribute to fulfill this objective and to achieve programme result indicator - increased capacity in environmental protection of joint water assets. Improved wastewater technology and management as a result of the developing cross-border approaches to water management and protection of shared water assets allows the ecologically sustainable use of natural resources while improving the social and economic conditions and quality of life of people in the region. The main result of the project is enhanced capacity of protection of common water resources and rised capacity of management of wastewater treatment among professionals in the field and also other stakeholders and public in the programme area. Improved wastewater technologies enables to protect ecosystems (accompanying the ecosystem of the Peipsi Lake, Pskov Lake) for future generations; Project activities will contribute to the execution of local, regional as well as national and international strategies like European Water Initiative and others, thus having a much broader meaning. At least 30 most relevant actors will improve their management capacity and awareness to manage at modern and effective level of wastewater treatment processes and policy. Manual and other info events and materials produced by the project will serve as guidance for cities' decision-makers. Public events, articles, materials available in the project webpages and cross-border network will increase the awareness of stakeholders and public in protection of common water resources.