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Background cRiteria for the IDentification of Groundwater thrEsholds

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Directives for groundwater pollution levels

The drive to establish groundwater thresholds for pollution levels will help researchers, policymakers and communities provide cleaner water to European citizens.

Climate Change and Environment icon Climate Change and Environment

The EU has taken many steps to ensure that the quality of water in its Member States remains within required parameters, in line with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD). The EU-funded project 'Background criteria for the identification of groundwater thresholds' (Bridge) helped articulate a common approach to implementing the WFD and encouraged a community philosophy to water management. In particular, the project worked on establishing pollution criteria to evaluate groundwater and identify appropriate threshold values in different environments, particularly in high-risk areas. It planned to test this approach through case studies across Europe and conduct an environmental impact assessment that considers economic and social impacts of the methodology. Many valuable results emerged from the project, such as a database on relevant information (e.g. list of potential pollutants), as well as a reference report on the effects of groundwater pollutants. Another report on hydro-geological and hydro-geochemical characteristics of aquifers in Europe was also produced, plus two more on 'Sampling, measuring and quality assurance' and 'Integrated data aggregation methodology'. All these have enabled researchers and stakeholders to determine groundwater threshold values more efficiently, underlining the dynamics between groundwater monitoring and the identification of thresholds. In effect, the Bridge project effectively refined a cost-efficient methodology for threshold values, helping to implement the WFD and enhance knowledge on the topic. The results have been communicated to relevant stakeholders and policymakers, contributing to the availability of cleaner and safer water for Europeans.

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