From 23 to 27 September 2024, the Environment Agency's Water Quality Laboratory in Moldova hosted a specialized training workshop for laboratory experts from across the Eastern Partnership (EaP) region, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The workshop focused on enhancing technical capacities in water analysis and applying international standards EN ISO 18856 and EN ISO 18857-1. 

Capacity building for water analysis

The training was part of the EU4Environment – Water Resources and Environmental Data programme, which aims to strengthen environmental monitoring infrastructure and improve water resource management in the EaP region. During the workshop, participants, all experienced experts in gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) equipment, were taught the latest methods in environmental testing and analysis. 

The intensive agenda included technical sessions on the setup, calibration, and use of GC-MS equipment for the extraction and measurement of water samples. This newly acquired knowledge will help environmental laboratories in the region produce higher-quality data and improve water monitoring practices in line with international standards. 

EU support for water quality for the Eastern Partnership countries

This workshop is a key milestone in ongoing efforts to align Eastern Partnership countries with international best practices in environmental protection and water management, contributing to sustainable water governance and better data collection across the region. 

A previous regional laboratory training session was held in Azerbaijan in May 2023 in the frame of the programme: https://eu4waterdata.eu/en/blog-news/31-azerbaijan/292-regional-laboratory-trainings-in-azerbaijan.html 

Read also

https://eu4waterdata.eu/en/blog-news/54-eap-region/368-improving-water-quality-monitoring-in-eu-eastern-partnership-countries-a-success-story-with-eu-support.html 

https://eu4waterdata.eu/en/blog-news/54-eap-region/344-training-on-surface-water-data-analysis-for-eastern-partnership-countries.html  

On September 18, 2024, the online event served as a platform for the five Easter Partnership countries—Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine—to share their experiences and case studies in modernizing water management practices. Organised by UNECE under the framework of the EU4Environment - Water and Data programme, this workshop was attended by 100 participants, including decision-makers, scientists, and water management practitioners from sectors such as agriculture, hydropower, and environmental protection. 

Key Discussions and Case Studies 

Each country highlighted their efforts in advancing water management policies. 

• Armenia opened the discussion with insights on its the Water Users Associations and the environmental flow. Martiros Nalbandyan, Deputy Chair  of the Water Committee of Armenia, and Vahagn Tonoyan, local representative of the EU4Environment-Water and Data Programme, presented these significant steps in managing water resources effectively. 

• Azerbaijan followed with a presentation on the creation of the State Water Agency and innovations in wastewater reuse. Rafig Verdiyev, local representative of the programme shared the progress made in these areas. 

• Georgia presented the mapping of nitrate-vulnerable zones and implementation of hydro-biological monitoring in key river basins. Experts like Mariam Makarova (Head of the Water Division, Department of Environment and Climate Change Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia (MEPA) and Marine Arabidze (Head of Environmental Pollution Monitoring Department, National Environment Agency (NEA) explained how these initiatives help protect water bodies from agricultural runoff. 

• Moldova contributed by discussing the development of basin committees and the inventory of dams. Victoria Gratii (Head of the Integrated Water Resources Management Department, Ministry of Environment of the Republic of Moldova) and Vlad Ceban (Senior Specialist of the Capital Investment and Project Implementation Service) elaborated on their integrated water resources management efforts. 

• Ukraine concluded the session with insights on national basin councils and a government-funded water monitoring network, aligning with EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) standards. Igor Gopchak (Deputy Head of State Water Resources Agency of Ukraine (SAWR) and Maria Shpanchyk (Head of the Department of Water Resources Management, SAWR) highlighted Ukraine’s commitment to improving water quality and governance. 

Feedback and Next Steps 

The event received positive feedback, with participants appreciating the collaborative approach and the exchange of knowledge. Gerald Audaz (Economic and Investment Plan for EU's Eastern Neighbourhood region, DG NEAR, European Commission) from the European Commission and other high-level officials expressed their support for continued cooperation. Based on the success of this event, there is potential for organizing additional follow-up meetings. 

This event marked another significant step in the EU4Environment - Water and Data programme. As innovations and collaborative efforts continue, the future of sustainable water management in the Eastern Partnership countries looks promising. 

On 8 July, the EU4Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data programme hosted a Regional Workshop on Quantitative Water Management Planning. Organised by the International Office for Water, the online event brought together 166 participants from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Republic of Moldova and Ukraine. This workshop highlighted the importance of integrating quantitative water management into River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) across the Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries.

The rising costs of climate extremes and the urgent need for adaptation

The workshop opened with remarks from Lukas Repa of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment. He highlighted Europe's increasing risk of megadroughts and extreme floods. Repa noted that these events currently cause €9 billion of damage annually from droughts and €7.8 billion from floods, the latter affecting more than 170,000 people each year (EU and UK estimates for 2020). Without adaptation and with a projected warming of +3°C by 2100, these costs are expected to increase exponentially. Lukas Repa then recalled the existing EU strategies and guidelines to help countries adapt.

Quantitative water management planning at local level: Guidance Document to be published soon

The workshop continued with a presentation of the French experience in implementing quantitative management. This was complemented by a detailed presentation of the "Guide on Quantitative Water Management Planning at Local Level", specifically tailored for the Eastern Partnership countries (to be published soon). The guide provides a comprehensive five-step approach to developing and implementing effective quantitative water management plans.

Developing a Quantitative Management Plan in Armenia's Kasakh Sub-basin

A practical case study presented a pilot quantitative water management plan in the Kasakh river sub-basin in Armenia (located in the Hrazdan basin). This demonstrated the application of the principles of the guide in a drought-affected basin in the Eastern Partnership region with limited data on actual water withdrawals.

Alexander Arakelyan, a hydrologist, explained the methodology used by the Armenian experts. They first identified critical nodal points in the basin to better assess the situation in the sub-basin. Water use per nodal point was estimated, environmental flows (minimum flow required for ecosystem health) were calculated, and water balances (total water available for distribution and use) were determined. The Kasakh Quantitative Management Plan then set thresholds for vigilance, alert, reinforced alert, and crisis levels to improve equitable water resource management.

Exchange of experiences between EaP countries  

In the final part of the workshop, representatives from the EaP countries shared their perspectives and strategies on quantitative water management, highlighting the diversity of challenges and approaches within the region. 

 Presentations (click on the presentation to download the PDF)

EU Policies for Floods, Droughts & Water Scarcity - Lukas Repa - 08072024
Quantitative Water Management Planning in the context of River Basin Management Plans - Margot Clarys - 08072024 - EU4ENV
Water Allocation in Transboundary Basins: tools, approaches & lessons learned under the Water Convention - Alexander Belokurov - 08072024
French Experience - Guillaume Poincheval - Pierre Henry de Villeneuve - 08072024 - EU4ENV
Presentation of the QWMP Guide - Xavier Goossens - 08072024 - EU4ENV
Armenian experience Kazakh - Alexander Arakelyan - 08072024 -EU4ENV
Contextualizing Quantitative Water Mangement in Armenia - Lilit Abrhamyan - 08072024
Contextualizing Quantitative Water Management in Azerbaijan - Rafig Veridyev - 08072024

Agenda

As a follow-up to the National Policy Dialogue on Water in Ukraine (19-20 June), an online meeting between Ukraine and Armenia on the transposition and implementation of Directive 2020/2184/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption (Drinking Water Directive, DWD) was held on 3 July.

The main points of discussion were the development of the DWD roadmap, similarities and differences between the Directive and the national legislation (SanPIN), exemptions from the provisions of the Directive taking into account military actions, the risk-based approach and links between monitoring under the DWD and the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/EC.

The meeting was attended by Ms Nune Bakunts, Deputy Secretary General of the National Centre for Disease Control and Prevention of Armenia, Mr Oleksandr Shkin, Deputy Head of UkrvodokanalEkologiya, representatives of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine and the Ministry of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine.

The online bilateral meeting and the DWD Roadmap for Armenia were developed under the EU4Environment - Water Resources and Environmental Data programme and facilitated by UNECE.