H2020 WATERPROTECT Project: Innovative tools that enable the protection of drinking water in rural and urban environments

Better-informed farmers for better freshwater quality. Farmers play a fundamental role in ensuring safe drinking water, but they will struggle to contribute if they are unaware of their role and the measures they can take. The WATERPROTECT project has established action labs in seven European regions to raise awareness among farmers and encourage new practices. We all want crystal-clear, drinkable water free of contaminants that can harm valuable ecosystems.

Overall, we can breathe a sigh of relief: in the EU, water is now cleaner than it was 25 years ago, thanks in large part to the Water Framework Directive, which aims to protect and improve it. While it's not all doom and gloom, the threats posed by some agricultural practices to Europe's freshwater resources should not be taken lightly. Pesticides remain a major problem, as do nutrient surpluses that cause abnormally high concentrations of nitrates and pesticides in the water. Today, half of Europe's waters are considered to be in "poor ecological status," calling for better management practices and effective mitigation measures. The WATERPROTECT (Innovative tools ensuring drink WATER PROTECTion in rural and urban environment) consortium was entrusted with this mission in June 2017. As Ingeborg Joris, VITO researcher and project coordinator, explains: "The project's approach was essentially to sit down and talk to farmers and other stakeholders, informing them about various water quality issues they may not have been aware of before, and the positive role they can play and the solutions they could implement." An educational approach was essential, as many farmers often hear about the impact of agriculture on the environment only in general terms. Some farmers are not as aware of the environmental issues surrounding their fields as others, nor are they aware of how some agricultural practices pose a potential threat to drinking water. Seven action labs. WATERPROTECT essentially revolved around its seven "action labs": local coalitions in agricultural areas with water quality issues related to drinking water production. "We look for cases with differences in farming practices, climate, farmers' awareness, and the scale of farms and drinking water facilities.

Finally, we created our seven Action Labs, ranging from small farms in Ireland impacting private groundwater wells to large farms that could threaten a major city's drinking water supply. Other examples include farmers with low environmental awareness who grow their own crops and well-informed farmers who consider optimal land-use distribution in the drinking water catchment area," says Joris. The Action Labs provided an opportunity not only to raise awareness and promote best management practices, but also to collect valuable data with the involvement of local stakeholders.

The project team developed collaborative management tools that provided input to local coalitions and fueled the debate. Joris is confident that all this work will ultimately contribute to the implementation of further actions at the local level. The project's positive impact need not be limited to the seven selected regions. Joris and other project partners developed written guidelines on using the project's multi-stakeholder approach for implementation in other regions. Meanwhile, the Action Labs have already begun to bear fruit. In Belgium, for example, work continues with the local drinking water company, which provides financial support for farmers' implementation of WATERPROTECT measures. In Romania, partners have set out to develop an ecotourism destination. In Ireland and Spain, new regional and national projects have been launched. Meanwhile, demonstrations of good practices continue in Ireland and Italy, in other river basins, at the initiative of farmers' organizations and advisory bodies.

The project ended in September 2020, but the WATERPROTECT community also continues at the EU level, with a dedicated forum for sharing experiences and contributing to future actions and research.