ARCADIS, an international consulting and engineering company, announced it has won two cross-border water quality management projects of a total value of EUR 2.2 million. The first contract concerns an Arda river pollution prevention program in Bulgaria. The second contract involves integrated river basin management planning of the Dnister River in Ukraine. These two projects are additions to the solid track record that makes ARCADIS one of Europe's leading environmental consultants.
Michiel Jaski, executive board member of ARCADIS, said: "The Arda river project is a good example of what needs to be done in Europe before all European countries comply with the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) in 2015. These kinds of projects usually have the complicating factor that they are cross-border and that countries need to solve their water quality management issues together. ARCADIS has profound experience with supporting governments in this joint approach."
The Arda River Project is a pollution prevention program in which ARCADIS will facilitate the establishment of a cross-border river basin commission, develop methodologies to increase public involvement and provide technical expertise in setting up a water monitoring system. The Arda River is a cross-border river shared by Bulgaria and Greece. On the Bulgarian side, some 30,000 people from two main cities, Kardjali and Smolyan, are dependent on the water resources of the basin. The water is mainly used for production of electricity and irrigation. Bulgaria is scheduled to join the EU in 2007 and intends to adhere to the timetable for implementing EU legislation with over 200 legal acts including the WFD.
In the Ukraine, ARCADIS will prepare an integrated regional Lower Dnister River Basin Management Plan. The European Union's WFD will be used as a general reference framework for the plan, with the aim to ensure sustainable improvement of the water quality and protection and restoration of the Lower Dnister ecosystems. This guarantees the citizens of Odessa and neighboring municipalities clean drinking water and supports the establishment of the Lower Dnister National Park. Also, a regional cooperation will be developed between Ukraine and Moldova.
Source: ARCADIS
