ERMES-Rhin – Water Resource Development and Monitoring
Good Practices Category
Good Practices Summary
The project has put in place various tools to report on the state of the water at the level of pollutants. A mapping tool is available so that each user can locate the different pollutants and act accordingly. A monitoring tool for each municipality is also available, making it possible to visualise: the locations where the water table is measured, the height of the water table, the state of the water table, the surrounding risks (natural and industrial), etc… In addition, explanatory sheets concerning all the pollutants have been drawn up.
Mitigation
Maintenance of groundwater quality and quantity.
Replicability/Knowledge Transfer
The transferability of the project is certain. Indeed, the project was carried out in a cross-border area, i.e. an area with different landscape measures and standards. Its scale makes it possible to go beyond the simple observation by establishing joint proposals for actions aimed at reducing water resource pollution and restoring acceptable environmental quality according to uses.These common proposals for action are addressed in particular to the different decision-making levels – European Union, national state, federal state, regions, departments, communities and civil society. The recommendations may also be of a regulatory nature or concern voluntary commitments. The renunciation of the use of certain substances and their replacement by others that are more respectful of the environment could be proposed.
Resources
The website offers all available resources. The documents are numerous as are the tools.
Target Audience
Policy Implications
The project aims to mobilise the various competent authorities who will be able to use this decision-making tool to make progress in the recovery and preservation of water resources.
Social Dimension
The tools proposed within the framework of the project are accessible to all audiences. The visualisation platform is interactive. The project has focused its development with policies but the results of the project (water quality and quantity) will benefit everyone.
Innovation Type
Awareness, Methodology, Process, TechnologyInnovation
The project focuses on the innovative consideration, on a cross-border scale, of the state of groundwater quality with regard to so-called “emerging” micropollutants, in addition to phytosanitary substances and other standard parameters already analysed during previous campaigns.In this way, 172 parameters were analysed on a network of more than 1,500 measuring points between Basel and Mainz.15 8,000 data were evaluated. This voluntary approach is part of a monitoring programme lasting more than 20 years, which has made it possible to improve knowledge of the state of the water table in the Upper Rhine and of known and emerging pollution in order to provide additional information for the structures in charge of water resources.