Context
Implementing the Water Framework Directive 2000/60/CE aims at preserving the available resources of water in the long run. These last years, this directive was anticipated by the Walloon Region which set up a new organization : the Public Society of Water Management (SPGE) which makes concrete the installation of an integrated management of the water cycle in Wallonia.Within the framework of its missions, the SPGE contacted the Agricultural Research Centre – Wallonia (CRA-W) in order to try solving the recurrent problems of pollution by pesticides, of catchment areas which can become suitable for drinking.
It is often difficult to determine the origin of these pollutions and consequently to act quickly and in an efficient way. The SPGE would like to introduce direct intervention strategies in case of pollution of water catchment areas by pesticides ; to determine the origin of the pollution and the corrective action which will make it possible to solve the problem quickly. Furthermore, the SPGE would like to determine risk areas and introduce middle and long term strategies to decrease water pollution by pesticides.
Objectives
CRA-W suggests to introduce a set of semi-preventive (middle term prevention action : usage decrease, alternative molecules, farming practices, …) and preventive strategies (long term prevention action : sensitization, improvement of the treatment equipment, bio-filter, …) which will be adapted to concrete problems met by holders of catchment areas.These strategies will be presented in the form of a collection of concrete actions meant for farming but also non farming areas (preliminary studies showed that the road maintenance of public and recreational areas, some industrial activities as well as the gardening practice are important factors of pollution of water by pesticides).
CRA-W suggests to integrate all the tools determining the sources of pollution before or after they appear, in order to allow SPGE to target better its strategies of reducing groundwater contamination by pesticides.
Description of tasks
The project will be going on in five steps which will take place according to the priorities. We will therefore distinguish the inventory, complementary researches, strategies development, the integration of tools defining contamination sources and at last, the transfer of the results.During the two first years, only the three first steps will be carried out :
The carrying out of a thorough inventory on the situation of agrochemical products
in relation with water (analysis, legislation, model, …) ;
complementary studies depending on the gaps noticed when making the inventory ;
the development of strategies to reduce the pollution of water by agrochemical products.
Expected results
In the long run, CRA-W suggests to set up and coordinate an expertise group about groundwater pollution by pesticides. This group will rely on the producers permanent supervision network which will help them in the integrated management of their catchment area.Contribution
This project is carried together by the Pesticides Research Department and the Agricultural Engineering Department.Partners
The Public Society of Water Management (SPGE), the Professional association of operators of the water cycle in Wallonia (Aquawal)CRAW off coordinator
Ir. Stéphanie NOELDépartement Génie rural – CRA-W
Chaussée de Namur, 146
B-5030 Gembloux
Tél : +32 81 627 170Fax : +32 81 615 847
Email : noel@cra.wallonie.be
Funding
- SPGE - Société Publique de Gestion de l'Eau
