Progress and challenges of a transboundary cooperation Dr. Adam Kovacs International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River (ICPDR) Status of river quality and waste water treatment in the Danube River Basin

The ICPDR and its role Danube River Protection Convention: 29 June 1994, Sofia Protection of water & ecological resources Sustainable & equitable use of water Reduce nutrients & hazardous substances ICPDR (1998): implements the Convention ICPDR coordinates the implementation of EU Water Framework Directive (2000) & EU Floods Directive (2007) Manage floods & ice hazards

Determines priorities for transboundary water management on the basin-wide level for the period 2016 to 2021 Status assessment of water bodies Four priority issues identified (SWMIs) Pressures assessment, Joint Program of Measures, sources of financing Intensive stakeholder dialogue December 2015: Final version adopted by Heads of Delegation then published February 2016: Danube Ministerial Meeting for endorsement DRBM Plan – Update 2015

Status assessment - surface water bodies Ecological status (2015) Risk to fail good ecological status by 2021 Chemical status (2015) Risk to fail good chemical status by 2021 Risk by pressures

Pollution assessment for agglomerations Reference status by 2012 Baseline scenario by 2021 Mid-term scenario Vision scenario Future Data and assumptions: Reference: comprehensive data collection (2012) Scenarios: policy implementation, country inputs

Waste water sector: reference status and progress million PE (5,700 agglomerations above 2,000 PE), > 10 million m 3 per day waste water Black Sea designated as sensitive area (UWWTD) Improvement of waste water infrastructure at around 900 agglomerations Shift to more enhanced technologies, remarkable decrease of emissions (50%, 30%, 45%) 260,000 tons per year BOD emissions, high impact of not/poorly treated waste water (70%) 88,000 tons per year TN, 12,000 tons per year TP emissions (share: TN: 16%, TP: 33%) BOD emissions kg BOD/PE/year

Waste water sector: development needs PE distribution Need of basic infrastructural development for 29% of the total PE (focus on untreated 10%) Need of nutrient removal technology for 28 million PE (above 10,000 PE) Significant emission reduction potential in new and non EU MS, need of financial support

Waste water sector: scenario results (1)

Waste water sector: scenario results (2) High amounts infiltrated via cesspools, old septic systems or illegally discharged Decreasing emissions via uncollected waste water (construction of sewer systems) Decreasing emissions via untreated waste water (connection to UWWTP) Baseline: 14.5 million PE to be connected, 16 million PE to be upgraded Expected reduction of water emissions: 36% (BOD), 10% (TN) and 17% (TP) PE BOD emissions (t/a)

Waste water sector: ICPDR objectives & activities Technical assessment on current status and progress achieved Measures to be implemented (Joint Program of Measures) a)Implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (EU MS, specific requirements for agglomerations > 2,000 PE) b)Constructing a specific number of wastewater collecting systems and municipal wastewater treatment plants (Non-EU MS) Close knowledge gaps on hazardous substances releases Orienting financial institutions and countries for appropriate investments Strengthening capacity and supporting knowledge transfer Promoting enhanced technologies and good practices Non- EU MS: affordability…?

Conclusions Significant efforts to reduce organic, nutrient and hazardous substances pollution by implementing measures in waste water sector Lower pollutant emissions and river loads in comparison to those of the past decades Need of additional actions in the next management cycle in terms of measures implementation (constructing sewers and treatment plants) Need to reduce knowledge gaps (sources of hazardous substances emissions, DRB specific substances, additional measures) Need to facilitate finding proper funding sources, strengthening capacity and increasing efficiency

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