Facing Water Challenges in Estonia:A WWDR3 Case Study
From WaterWiki.net
- Synopsis
Increasing prosperity, water use efficiency and close adherence to European Union requirements characterize this Baltic Sea state.
Context | |
Focus Areas | Water supply and sanitation, IWRM
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Geographic Scope | |
Stakeholders | |
Contacts | |
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Contents |
Background and Significance
See Estonia
The Experience: Challenges and Solutions
- Chemical contents of groundwater
Drinking water often fails to meet quality requirements due to the presence of substances such as manganese and ammonium. Although these minerals affect the sensory properties of water (taste, colour, odour), they pose no direct threat to human health. In some parts of Estonia, the groundwater also contains excessive amounts of fluorine and boron. There is an effort to regulate mineral content: drinking water purification plants are being improved, with the installation of technology to remove such minerals, and the infrastructure is being renovated where necessary.
- Eutrophication of lakes
The main problem facing Estonia’s multiple lakes, including many impounded lakes, is eutrophication. Many lake ecosystems are endangered due to overgrown vegetation that significantly reduces the oxygen content in water during summer and winter, with a devastating impact on fish populations. The status of Lake Peipsi has been assessed as moderate, and that of the country’s second largest lake, Lake Võrtsjärv, as good. Studies regarding the environmental status of small lakes have revealed that out of 68 lakes, 3 were in a poor state, 17 were in moderate condition and the rest were ranked as good or very good.
- Hydromorphological alteration of rivers
Due to the decrease in agricultural pollution and more efficient wastewater treatment, the water quality of Estonian rivers has improved significantly in the last 15 years. At present only a few rivers and their biota are limited by poor quality. However, additional effort is needed to improve fish migration in rivers where numerous small dams without fish passes now impede their passage.
In summary, as an EU member country endowed with sufficient water
resources, Estonia does not have many water
management problems. The initial economic difficulties
that followed independence have been diminishing since
the late 1990s and industrial production has increased in
almost all branches since 2000. Although climate change
scenarios point to potential alteration in the flow
regimes of rivers and in recharging of groundwater
reservoirs, this does not seem to pose a serious problem
for socio-economic development in Estonia. Drinking
water quality, sanitation and environmental protection
are being handled in line with strict EU legislation.
Results and Impact
Lessons for Replication
Testimonies and Stakeholder Perceptions
References
See also
Jaagus, J. 2006. Trends in sea ice conditions in the Baltic Sea near the Estonian coast during the period 1949/1950-2003/2004 and their relationship to large scale atmospheric circulation. Boreal Environment Research, Vol. 11, pp. 169–183.
Joint Research Centre (JRC). 2005. Climate Change and European Water
Dimension: A Report to European Water Directors. Steven J. Eisenreich, ed.
European Commission-JRC, Ispra, Italy.
Helsinki Commission (HELCOM). 2007. Climate Change in the Baltic Sea
Area: HELCOM Thematic Assessment in 2007. Baltic Sea Environment
Proceedings, No. 111.
Kont, A., Jaagus, J. and Aunap, R. 2003. Climate change scenarios and the
effect of sea-level rise for Estonia. Global and Planetary Change, Vol. 36,
No. 1–2, pp. 1–15.
Ministry of the Environment. Forthcoming. Estonia Case Study Report.
UNESCO-World Water Assessment Programme (UNESCO-WWAP). 2006. Lake
Peipsi/Chudskoe-Pskovskoe. Water, a Shared Responsibility: The United
Nations World Water Development Report 2. Paris/Oxford,
UNESCO/Berghan Books.
www.unesco.org/water/wwap/wwdr/wwdr2/case_studies/pdf/lake_peips
i.pdf
United Nations-World Water Assessment Programme (UN-WWAP). 2003.
Lake Peipsi/Chudskoe-Pskovskoe, Estonia and the Russian Federation.
Water for People, Water for Life: The United Nations World Water
Development Report. Paris/Oxford, New York, UNESCO/Berghan Books.
www.unesco.org/water/wwap/case_studies/peipsi_lake/peipsi_lake.pdf
External Resources
The United Nations World Water Development Report 3
