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- 1 - Challenges in the Management of Cross – Border Water Supply Systems – the DRINKADRIA Project E. Altran*, P. Banovec**, P. Toscano***, B. Karleuša**** * Drinkadria Project Manager, AcegasApsAmga SpA (Hera Group – Bologna – Italy) ** Faculty in Civil and Geological Engineering of the University of Ljubljana *** AcegasApsAmga SpA (Hera Group – Bologna – Itlay) **** Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Rijeka, [email protected] Keywords: cross-border water supply system management; cross-border water resources management. 1. Introduction While management of water supply systems is a broad domain well addressed by professionals and researchers the issue of cross-border water supply systems (WSS) is not so recognized. Cross-border water supply systems (CBWSS) by the definition provide the water from a water resource in one county through a WSS in this country to another WSS and its users in another country. While the management of different realities faced by the water utilities in an administrative reality defined in one country is already an issue, it is quite clear that the management of the reality of drinking water supply in a cross- border context more than doubles the complexity of this task. One might have thought that there are not so many cross-border WSS, and to certain extent this could unfortunately even be confirmed. The countries rely on the national territory based water supply defining it in some way as a national priority, even if it would be related to excessive costs. On the other hand there are several WSS which turned to be a cross-border water supply system with a development of new borders, defining new countries. In these cases water supply systems which were once conceptualized to operate in one administrative reality, start to operate within a reality of two national administrative systems. In the EU such development could be observed especially in the countries of former Yugoslavia. The protection and management of cross-border water resources used for drinking purpose is also very complex. There are resources that are used for water supply in one country with a part of aquifer / catchment in another country. The need for a common definition and protection of water resources that are used for supplying population with drinking water is already defined by the EU Water Framework Directive (EU 2000/60) and is implemented by the water management plans. However, the drinking water protection areas are defined for each country separately, with no consensus with the neighbouring country. In the paper an overview of the Project DRINKADRIA that encompasses the above explained complex problems regarding cross-border water supply systems and water resources management is given. 2. DRINKADRIA Project DRINKADRIA project was conceptualized as a proposal for the EU Instrument for Pre- Accession Assistance (IPA) Adriatic Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) 2007 – 2013 programme call on the basis of recognized common and trans-boundary problems related

Challenges in the Management of Cross – Border Water ......cross-border supply systems and cross-border groundwater resources with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The DRINKADRIA project

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Page 1: Challenges in the Management of Cross – Border Water ......cross-border supply systems and cross-border groundwater resources with Bosnia and Herzegovina. The DRINKADRIA project

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Challenges in the Management of Cross – Border Water Supply Systems – the DRINKADRIA Project

E. Altran*, P. Banovec**, P. Toscano***, B. Karleuša****

* Drinkadria Project Manager, AcegasApsAmga SpA (Hera Group – Bologna – Italy)

** Faculty in Civil and Geological Engineering of the University of Ljubljana

*** AcegasApsAmga SpA (Hera Group – Bologna – Itlay)

**** Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Rijeka, [email protected]

Keywords: cross-border water supply system management; cross-border water resources management.

1. Introduction

While management of water supply systems is a broad domain well addressed by professionals and researchers the issue of cross-border water supply systems (WSS) is not so recognized. Cross-border water supply systems (CBWSS) by the definition provide the water from a water resource in one county through a WSS in this country to another WSS and its users in another country. While the management of different realities faced by the water utilities in an administrative reality defined in one country is already an issue, it is quite clear that the management of the reality of drinking water supply in a cross-border context more than doubles the complexity of this task.

One might have thought that there are not so many cross-border WSS, and to certain extent this could unfortunately even be confirmed. The countries rely on the national territory based water supply defining it in some way as a national priority, even if it would be related to excessive costs. On the other hand there are several WSS which turned to be a cross-border water supply system with a development of new borders, defining new countries. In these cases water supply systems which were once conceptualized to operate in one administrative reality, start to operate within a reality of two national administrative systems. In the EU such development could be observed especially in the countries of former Yugoslavia.

The protection and management of cross-border water resources used for drinking purpose is also very complex. There are resources that are used for water supply in one country with a part of aquifer / catchment in another country. The need for a common definition and protection of water resources that are used for supplying population with drinking water is already defined by the EU Water Framework Directive (EU 2000/60) and is implemented by the water management plans. However, the drinking water protection areas are defined for each country separately, with no consensus with the neighbouring country.

In the paper an overview of the Project DRINKADRIA that encompasses the above explained complex problems regarding cross-border water supply systems and water resources management is given.

2. DRINKADRIA Project

DRINKADRIA project was conceptualized as a proposal for the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) Adriatic Cross Border Cooperation (CBC) 2007 – 2013 programme call on the basis of recognized common and trans-boundary problems related

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to drinking water in the Adriatic sub-region. In the focus of the project are the cross-border water supply systems and shared trans-boundary water resources. Both are complex systems arising many different challenges to be solved: ageing infrastructure with high non-revenue water, climate change with water availability decreasing and increasing water demand, high seasonal fluctuations in water demand due to tourism in summer months, etc. For example: Slovenia has cross-border supply systems and cross-border groundwater resources with Italy and Croatia in Adriatic region, while Croatia has also cross-border supply systems and cross-border groundwater resources with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The DRINKADRIA project is financed by EU within IPA Adriatic CBC 2007 – 2013 programme in 85% of budget, while 15% of the budget is co-financed by project partners. The Project started 1st of November 2013 and will last 29 months. The total budget of the project is 6.600.000 Euros. Seventeen project partners from eight Adriatic region countries (Italy, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Greece) are involved in the Project (Figure 2.1).

Figure 2.1 Location of DRINKADRIA project partners

The leading partner of the Project is Area Council for Eastern Integrated Water Service

from Trieste (Italy). Other Italian partners are VERITAS Joint-Stock Company, Optimal Territorial Area Authority n. 3 Central Marche – Macerata and Italian National Council - Water Research Institute (CNR-IRSA). From Slovenia Water Utility of Nova Gorica and University of Ljubljana are involved. From Croatia the Region of Istria, Water Utility of Istria, Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Rijeka and Croatian Geological Survey, from Serbia Institute for Development of Water Resources ,,Jaroslav Černi”, from Albania Water Supply and Sewerage Association of Albania (SHUKALB), from Bosnia and Herzegovina Hydro-Engineering Institute of Civil Engineering Faculty University of Sarajevo and Public Utility NEUM are involved as project partners. Partner from Montenegro is Public Utility „Vodovod i kanalizacija“ Nikšić, and from Greece the Region of Ionian Islands, and recently involved University of Thessaly.

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The logo of the project selected from project partners is shown on Figure 2.2.

Figure 2.2 DRINKADRIA project logo

On Figure 2.3 are most experts from different project partners (final beneficiaries) that are working on DRINKADRIA project photographed during the Project partners meeting that was held in Rijeka in February 2014.

Figure 2.3 Experts from different project partners that are working on DRINKADRIA PROJECT during the Project partners meeting that was held at the Faculty of Civil Engineering University of Rijeka (Croatia)

10-12 February 2014.

3. Cross-Border Drinking Water Resources

DRINKADRIA will focus to cross-border water bodies (surface and groundwater) with development of joint cross-border strategies (and measures) of drinking water resources management (water quality and quantity and drinking water resources protection) with consideration of climate change. Adaptation to foreseen climate change is part of overall resilience strategy which will be developed for Adriatic sub-region. On Figure 3.1 results of temperature change analyses, done within the Project, using three climate models RegCM3 (Pal et al., 2007), Aladin (Bubnova et al., 1995) and Promes (Castro et al., 1993) for one pilot area in Croatia – Northern Istria in the period from 1950 to 2050 are presented.

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Figure 3.1 Trends of increase in temperature for Pazin 1950-2050 (for one pilot area in Croatia: Northern part of Istria) using climate models RegCM3, Aladin and Promes

Analyses of observed and future simulated climate characteristics and climate change will be the base for present and future water availability analyses on selected pilot areas in partner countries. Also the present and future water demand will be analysed in order to calculate the water exploitation index.

Regarding the quality of water resources used for drinking in the Adriatic region the analyses of trends in water quality on pilot areas, the impact of existing and future land use on water quality and salt water issues will be analysed. Water quality monitoring procedures and protocols used in Adriatic countries will be collected and common procedures and protocols defined.

The need for a common definition and protection of water resources that are used for supplying population with drinking water is already defined by the EU Water Framework Directive (EU 2000/60) and is implemented by the water management plans. However, the drinking water protection areas are defined for each country separately, with no consensus with the neighboring country. For example, Slovenia defined drinking water protection areas only to the Slovene-Croatian border and vice versa. The other example is the spring Prud (second pilot area in Croatia) which is used for water supply of areas in Croatia although most of the aquifer is on the Bosnia and Herzegovina side. Unified approach to protection of trans boundary aquifers is crucial for ensuring safe water supply from cross-border water resources.

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Figure 3.2 Trans boundary water resources and sanitary protection areas (http://drinkadria.fgg.uni-lj.si/)

4. Cross-Border Drinking Water Supply

The objective is to develop strategies for secure cross-border water supply (CBWS), managing at the same time drinking water demand and supply in cross-border context in present and future situations (future scenarios), which would function as a reference body of legislation/applicative procedures ensuring long term cross-border water supply. Most project partners that are involved in DRINKADRIA project have already practical experience with CBWS. Slovene partner Water Utility of Nova Gorica for decades supplies drinking water to users on Italian side of border, based on Paris Peace Treaty and Treaty of Osimo. Similarly, Croatian partner Water utility of Istria supplies drinking water from source Gradole to Slovenian users, based on contract that was signed in Yugoslavia (period between 1960 and 1984). P. C. Utility Neum is also supplying water to users on Croatian side (Dubrovačko primorje). Other important experience for CBDWS is the provision of water between Italy and Slovenia (Trieste to and from Sesana) this connection is operating since December of 2001, and the scope of WSS is emergency supply in the case of unexpected conditions. All this cross-border water supply systems (CBWSS) are dealing with various issues that are characterized by the complexity of coordinating reality of supplying water over border.

On Figure 4.1 networks of cross-border water supply systems between Italy - Slovenia and Croatia - Slovenia and vice versa are shown.

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Figure 4.1 Cross-border water supply systems between Italy - Slovenia and Croatia - Slovenia and vice versa (http://drinkadria.fgg.uni-lj.si/)

5. DRINKADRIA Pilot Project Implementation

One of the main aspects that have made the DRINKADRIA a winning project proposal is that methodologies developed for cross-border drinking water resources and cross-border drinking water supply, have been realized in pilot projects for the implementation of the priority measures for water supply and management of water resources more efficient and effective. The project improved in total 9 pilot projects. For example we discuss in this paper about two.

One of the pilot projects of interest is the CATO proposal, the Trieste’s partner in collaboration with AcegasApsAmga S.p.A., the multiutility company, regarding the Italian pilot project in San Dorligo della Valle municipality near Trieste, Italy. This area is located across the border between Italy and Slovenia, and, as most of the locations on the Karst Plateau, shows the problem of the high pressure inside the water network (7-8 bar). It is well known how strictly related pressure and leakage are, so a strategy for leakage management was seriously necessary. The preliminary process for the realization of the DMA led to the isolation of the area where the pilot project has been subsequently applied, and it is located underneath the municipality of San Dorligo and shows a network length of 40 km.

The goal of this pilot project is a real time network management: fixed pressure and discharge meters and noise loggers, in order to get the leakage reduction; smart metering, in such a way to have a measurement technology with intelligent endpoint data functionality, providing the ability to create value through water network management and consumption measurement accuracy.

Second pilot project is in Slovenia – water supply of Nova Gorica (Figure 5.1). Water Utility of Nova Gorica was invited to the partnership due to extensive experiences with

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cross-border drinking water supply to Italy. DRINKDRIA project is a great opportunity for improving the reliability of water supply to Italy. In case of significant failure and contemporary increased consumption the amount of supplied water is questionable. In that case the supply of water to Italy is restricted considering the preferential water supply to consumers in Slovenia. Main causes for limiting water supply to Italy are water losses in the network. The main goal of Water Utility of Nova Gorica is to manage water losses and to stabilize cross-border drinking water supply. To achieve this goal a new hydraulic model will be set up for exact determination of 22 locations for flow and pressure meters. The areas with the greatest losses will be determined by comparing the results obtained by hydraulic model and measurements.

Figure 5.1 Water supply system of Water Utility of Nova Gorica

6. Dissemination, capitalization and sustainability of Project results

For dissemination, capitalisation and sustainability of DRINKADRIA project results a web site (www.drinkadria.eu) was developed. The web site provides activities and results of the project and is a communication platform for stakeholders and interested public. Furthermore DRINKADRIA will develop regional platform (http://drinkadria.fgg.uni-lj.si/) of water supply experts (utilities, authorities, regulatory agencies and research institutions) sharing knowledge and experiences (know-how) regarding water supply system developments aiming at long term cross-border water supply stability and security.

7. Conclusion

In the paper an overview of the Project DRINKADRIA EU (IPA Adriatic CBC 2007 – 2013) was presented. In the focus of the project are the cross-border water supply systems and

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shared trans-boundary water resources. Both are complex systems arising many different challenges to be solved: ageing infrastructure with high non-revenue water, climate change with water availability decreasing and increasing water demand, high seasonal fluctuations in water demand due to tourism in summer months, but specially and not less important is the need to promote protocols on the regulation of CR- DWR and CB-WSS to give assurance to the use of the sources and the efficient management of cross-border supplies in the Adriatic Area.

References

Bubnova, R., Hello, G., Bénard, P., Geleyn, J.F. (1995) Integration of the fully elastic equations cast in hydrostatic pressure terrain-following coordinate in the framework of the ARPEGE/Aladin NWP system. Mon.Wea.Rev. 123, 515–535.

Castro, M., Fernández C., Gaertner M.A. (1993) Description of a meso-scale atmospheric numerical model. In:J.I. Díaz, J.L. Lions (eds), Mathematic, climate and environment, Masson.

Pal, J.S. and Coauthors (2007) Regional climate modeling for the developing world: The ICTP RegCM3 and RegCNET. Bull. Amer. Meteor. Soc., 88, 1395–1409.