The project ended May 2023!
The project Monitoring and risk assessment for groundwater sources in rural communities of Romania (GROUNDWATERISK) benefited from a 1,499,913 € grant from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. The aim of the project was to find the best method for groundwater microbiological monitoring to ensure water quality for human use and to better protect against possible outbreaks of pathogen bacteria in the drinking water.​
Monitoring and risk assessment for groundwater sources in rural communities of Romania (GROUNDWATERISK)
THE EEA-RO-NO-2018-0138 PROJECT FUNDED BY THE EEA FINANCIAL MECHANISM 2014-2021
2019 -- 2023
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Amount: 1.499.913,00 Euros
The project proposed to improve the methods of groundwater monitoring for a better quality of life in rural communities that use local sources of water and to raise the awareness of water users on the potential health risks and the need to protect vulnerable groundwater ecosystems. The following objectives were tackled during the project: Interdisciplinary evaluation of groundwater ecosystems used as sources of drinking water in rural communities; Finding the most feasible method for groundwater microbiological monitoring to ensure water quality for human use and to better protect against possible outbreaks of pathogen bacteria in the drinking water; Risk assessment for the groundwater sources used by rural communities; Assessment of the groundwater ecosystem services to enhance conservation practices in rural communities. The target groups of our research were the rural communities that are not connected to a public water supply. According to Eurostat, in Romania, only 63.7% of the population is connected to a public water supply. It means that the rest of more than 35% of the population, mostly rural, has to use local sources of water. These sources are represented by water taken directly from caves, wells and springs. Such sources of water are not monitored by the water agencies nor by agencies for public health. To the danger represented by the lack of water quality monitoring adds, in rural areas, the agricultural practices and the lack of waste collection. The project results were related to: the evaluation of the quality and sustainability of groundwater sources used by the rural community across Romania; establishing the most feasible method for microbiological monitoring and radon concentration measurements of drinking water to be applied by responsible agencies; assessing the environmental and human-induced risks for groundwater sources in different regions of Romania; and educate people for the protection of their own source of water and its sustainable use.
Monitorizarea și stabilirea riscului pentru sursele de apă subterană din comunitățile rurale din România (GROUNDWATERISK)
PROIECTUL EEA-RO-NO-2018-0138 FINANÈšAT PRIN
MECANISMUL FINANCIAR 2014-2021
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2019 -- 2023
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Valoare: 7.127.136,60 RON
Acest proiect È™i-a propus îmbunătățirea metodelor de monitorizare a apelor subterane pentru creÈ™terea calității vieÈ›ii în comunitățile rurale care utilizează surse locale de apă, È™i sensibilizarea utilizatorilor cu privire la potenÈ›ialele riscuri pentru sănătate È™i la necesitatea protejării ecosistemelor vulnerabile ale apelor subterane. Următoarele obiective au contribuit la realizarea proiectului: Evaluarea interdisciplinară a ecosistemelor de apă subterană utilizate ca surse de apă potabilă în comunitățile rurale; Găsirea metodei celei mai fezabile pentru monitorizarea microbiologică a apelor subterane È™i asigurarea calității apei pentru uz casnic È™i pentru o mai bună protecÈ›ie împotriva posibilelor bacterii patogene din apa de băut; Evaluarea riscului pentru sursele de apă subterană utilizate de comunitățile rurale; Evaluarea serviciilor ecosistemice oferite de apele subterane È™i consolidarea practicilor de conservare în comunitățile rurale. Grupurile È›intă ale cercetării noastre au fost comunitățile rurale care nu sunt conectate la o reÈ›ea publică de alimentare cu apă. Potrivit Eurostat, în România, doar 63,7% din populaÈ›ie este conectată la o reÈ›ea publică de alimentare cu apă. Aceasta înseamnă că restul de peste 35% din populaÈ›ie, mai ales din mediul rural, trebuie să utilizeze surse locale de apă. Aceste surse sunt reprezentate de apa preluată direct din peÈ™teri, puÈ›uri È™i izvoare. Astfel de surse de apă nu sunt monitorizate de agenÈ›iile de management al apei È™i nici de agenÈ›iile de sănătate publică. La pericolul reprezentat de lipsa monitorizării calității apei se adaugă, în zonele rurale, practicile agricole È™i lipsa de colectare a deÈ™eurilor. Rezultatele proiectului au fost: evaluarea calității È™i sustenabilității surselor de apă subterană utilizate de comunități rurale din România; stabilirea celei mai potrivite metode de monitorizare microbiologică È™i de măsurare a concentraÈ›iei de radon în apa potabilă care să fie aplicate de agenÈ›iile responsabile; evaluarea impacturilor induse natural È™i de oameni asupra calității sursele de apă subterană din diferite regiuni ale României; È™i educarea oamenilor pentru protejarea propriei surse de apă È™i utilizarea sa durabilă.
OBJECTIVES/obiective
Unlocking the Mysteries of Springs/Descifrând misterele izvoarelor
(1) Interdisciplinary evaluation of groundwater ecosystems used as sources of drinking water in rural communities
(1) Evaluarea interdisciplinară a ecosistemelor apelor subterane folosite ca sursă de apă potabilă de populațiile rurale
(2) Finding the most feasible method for groundwater microbiological monitoring to ensure water quality for human use and to better protect against possible outbreaks of pathogen bacteria in the drinking water
(2) Găsirea metodei celei mai fezabile pentru monitorizarea microbiologică a apelor subterane, pentru asigurarea calității apei pentru uz uman și pentru o mai bună protecție împotriva posibilelor focare de infecție
(3) Risk assessment for the groundwater sources used by rural communities
(3) Evaluarea riscului pentru sursele de apă subterană utilizate de comunitățile rurale
(4) Assessment of the groundwater ecosystem services to enhance conservation practices in rural communities
(4) Evaluarea serviciilor ecosistemice ale apelor subterane pentru consolidarea practicilor de conservare în comunitățile rurale
INVOLVED INSTITUTIONS/INSTITUÈšII PARTICIPANTE
A Collaborative & Diverse Group/Un Grup de Colaboratori cu Diverse Specialități
The Romanian Academy - Emil Racovitza Institute of Speleology in Cluj-Napoca
Academia Română - Institutul de Speologie Emil Racoviță din Cluj
Institutul de Speologie Emil Racoviță are o tradiÈ›ie de mai mult de 100 de ani în studiul apelor subterane (inclusiv izvoare È™i fântâni). Apele subterane reprezintă o sursă preÈ›ioasă de apă È™i un ecosistem vulnerabil care trebuie protejat. În cadrul acestui proiect acest Institut a realizat partea de monitorizare fizico-chimică, biologică È™i microbiologic, interpretarea rezultatelor, riscurile pentru izvoarele studiate È™i serviciile ecosistemice pe care acestea le pot oferi comunităților locale È™i nu numai. Am realizat È™i materiale pentru È™coli, comunități rurale È™i specialÈ™tii din agenÈ›iile de mediu, apă etc.
Project Coordinator/Coordonator Proiect
Oana Teodora Moldovan, project coordinator
Ana Jucan & Traian Brad, project manager
Ruxandra Nastase-Bucur, monitoring, molecular analysis
Silviu Constantin, geology
Aurel Persoiu, isotopes
Daniel Veres, geology
Alexandru Petculescu, monitoring
Marius Kenesz, monitoring
Razvan Arghir, monitoring
Ionut Mirea, risk analysis, GIS
Mihail Theodorescu, monitoring
Cătălina Haidău, monitoring, molecular analysis
Mirela Cimpean, invertebrate determination
Karina Battes, invertebrate determination
Babes Bolyai University
Universitatea Babes Bolyai
The Partner P2 - ”BabeÈ™-Bolyai” University was involved in the preparation of spring sampling campaigns, with active participation in collecting water samples, analysing the molecular diversity and genes related to antimicrobial resistance within the water-associated microbial communities. The P2 partner conceived and published scientific papers, a brevet proposal, brochures and leaflets for informing campaigns. Members of P2 implementation team were involved in dissemination of results both in scientific and larger audience meetings.
Partner 2/Partener 2
BANCIU Horia Leonard - led the Partner P2 research team, contributed to the management of the project implementation and reporting, provided scientific input to publications, participated at the dissemination of results at scientific meetings
BURGHELE Bety-Denissa - participated in the sampling campaign and in performing the chemical analysis of radon composition of the selected springs
CRISTEA Adorjan - participated in the sampling campaign, performed molecular analyses of the microbial communities from the selected springs, provided scientific inputs to the publications, leaflets and brochures, and was actively engaged in the informing campaigns in the rural communities.
BARICZ Andreea Ionela - participated in the sampling campaigns, molecular analyses of microbial communities, writing the scientific papers, provided support in the informing campaigns in the rural communities.
SZEKERES Edina-Kriszta - participated in the research planning and sampling campaigns, performed the molecular analyses of the microbial biomass samples, wrote scientific papers, provided support in reporting and informing campaigns in the rural communities
DICU Tiberius - performed the analysis of radon composition in the selected water samples, the data analysis and interpretation, participated in the reporting and preparation of the sampling and informing campaigns
CUCOS Alexandra Laura - involved in planning and management of sampling campaigns, performed data analysis and manuscript conceiving and writing, provided scientific inputs to reports and publications, actively engaged in informing campaigns in rural communities, participated in the dissemination of results in scientific meetings, and raised awareness in public authorities.
MOLDOVAN Mircea Claudiu - participated in the sampling campaigns, in manuscript writing, planning and conceiving information materials, and was actively engaged in informing campaigns in rural communities.
NCDO-INOE 2000 subsidiary Research Institute for Analytical Instrumentation ICIA
INCDO-INOE 2000 Filiala Institutul de Cercetari pentru Instrumentatie Analitica ICIA
The P3 partner - INOE assessed the physico-chemical and microbiological quality of the studied groundwater with standardized methods and assessed the health risk following the consumption of water from the studied springs. P3 participated in sampling, testing of filtering methods for water pathogens, assessment, testing and validation of microbiological monitoring methods, evaluation of the influence of land cover and land use on the groundwater quality, preparation of advertising materials, awareness campaigns in schools, training course on methods of monitoring and protection of underground water sources and dissemination of the project results through publications and presentations at scientific events and patent preparation.
Partner 3/Partener 3
Dr. Erika Andrea Levei – chemical analyses, testing filtration methods for pathogens, evaluation of performance parameters for water quality monitoring methods, evaluation of the risk to health through the consumption of water from the studied springs, participation in educational campaigns in schools, Water chemistry- module of the training course on methods of monitoring and protection of underground water sources, coordination of the P3 team.
Dr. eng. Anca Becze – quality control of physico-chemical and microbiological analyses, microbiological analyses, calculation of performance parameters of microbiological methods, risk reports, selection and testing of educational kits for schools.
Dr. Maria-Alexandra Resz (Hoaghia) - chemical analysis, filter selection and testing for the pathogen filtration method, health risk calculation following consumption of water from the studied springs, pollution index calculation.
Dr. Liliana Vanda Băbălău-Fuss – sample management in the laboratory, chemical analyses, testing water filtration methods for pathogens, microbiological monitoring of groundwater.
Dr. Dalma Kovacs - evaluation and testing of water filtration methods for pathogens, physical-chemical analyses, determination of pathogenic bacteria present in water, preparation of kits for educational activities in schools.
Dr. Oana Alina Cadar - chemical analyses, correlation of chemical and microbiological quality of groundwater, microbiological monitoring of groundwater, leaflet preparation for local communities.
Dr. Ana-Maria Moldovan – calculation of pollution indices, preparation of risk reports, organization of education campaigns in schools, participation in the documentary film about water quality.
Dr. Zamfira Stupar (Dincă) – implementation, testing and validation of standardized microbiological analysis methods, patenting Expeditionary method of in-situ testing of contamination with E. coli and total coliforms in waters intended for human consumption, participation in the education campaign in schools, realization of the microbiology module for the training course on monitoring methods and protection of underground water sources.
