1. Water issue in Lithuania Ramučiai Gymnasium Naujoji Akmenė Lithuania

2. GENERAL SITUATION Lithuania is one of the few European, even world‘s country, which people drink only groundwater. This is mainly because our country is rich in groundwater resources. This is due to the fact that all drinking water in Lithuania runs underground. It is well protected from environmental pollution and therefore, the microbiological indicators observed are to a good standard.

3. Lithuania– 100% Estonia – 65% Denmark– 98% Romania– 43% Italy – 93% UK – 35% Hungary – 90% Poland – 70% Scandinavia, Ireland – 15% THE USE OF GROUNDWATER IN EUROPE (CENTRALIZED WATER SUPPLY)

4. In comparison to other European cities the quality of Lithuanian drinking water is enviably good, but Lithuania has problems with the drinking water as many countries have. North-western Lithuania has problems with the high fluoride content in the water. Many Lithuanian watering-places has increased amount of iron and manganese in it. As a fact, villagers do not usually have centralized water supply system, so people use shaft water (wells), which is usually polluted with nitrates and determined unacceptable microbial contamination. THE QUALITY OF WATER

5. The common groundwater depth of the bore is up to 30-50 meters, and in some cases even the water is taken from a depth of 250-300 meters. WATER RECOURSES

6. In 2011 the evaluation of Lithuania‘s Fish Index (LFI) in rivers showed that 3 of 140 studied places are of high ecological status, in good condition - 25, normal - 47, bad - 52 and in very poor ecological condition - 13 places of rivers. Ecological situation of the rivers

7. According to the evaluation statistics (2011) of Lithuanian lakes (Fish Index) ​​out of 53 studied lakes 7 of them were of high ecological status 30 - in good condition, 11 - in normal and 5 lakes in poor condition. Ecological situation of the lakes

8. OUR REGION NAUJOJI AKMENĖ

9. Akmene‘s region has two large protected areas: the Reserve of Kamanai and Venta Regional Park. From hydrological point of view water supplies are in the northern part of Permian-upper Devonian groundwater basin. There are many small and larger watering-places and single running bores. To preserve the quality of the groundwater and to ensure the safety our local company has created and approved the preservation programme in accordance with the sanitary protection zone consisting of three important bars.

10. According to the JSC „Akmene waters“ results the general chemical composition is positive and the groundwater quality is quite stable. Macro componential changes in concentrations are of low common natural hydro chemical background changes, so remains in the same chemical type range.

11. Kamanai Lake in Akmene Kamanai State Nature Reserve was established on June 29,1979 on the basis of the former Kamanai Reserve in order to reserve the largest and the most valuable wetland complex with its 6,2 ha natural lake in Northern Lithuania with interior areas of dry land (islands and peninsulas), bog pools encircled by sloughs, as well as the mixed forest ecosystem with its typical and rare plant and animal species.

12. To reduce the environmental impact of business activities on the Reserve a buffer protection zone has been formed around it. At present the Reserve covers the area of 3,935 hectares and the buffer protection zone of 2,530 hectares.

13. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein. This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This presentation reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.