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Joint care for borderland water resources

Joint care for borderland water resources

20.06.2025

On 16th May 2025, a cross-border seminar was held in Okuninka, by Lake Białe, as part of the project “Konopnica-Terebovlia – cross-border cooperation for the protection of water resources” (acronym: WaterProtect). The event brought together representatives of local authorities, project partners from Poland and Ukraine, and environmental protection experts. The seminar was officially opened by Mr Mirosław Żydek, Mayor of the Konopnica Commune, and Mr Oleh Prodan, Mayor of the Terebovlia Town. During the meeting, experts delivered papers on topics such as:

  • water and wastewater management and its significance in the context of climate change,
  • supervision of wastewater treatment plant operations,
  • exchange of hydrological and meteorological data within the framework of the Polish-Ukrainian Commission for Transboundary Waters,
  • cross-border environmental projects.

The Mayor of the Konopnica Commune emphasised the importance of cooperation with partners from Ukraine, recalling the beginnings of their joint initiatives:

Our cooperation began in 2015, when I was one of the experts in Ukraine. I was quite apprehensive, as the Terebovlia Commune is located in Ternopil Oblast, which does not directly border the Lublin region, and we had no previous experience in implementing cross-border programmes. So we looked for commonalities – things that unite us. I would like to thank everyone who contributed to making this project a reality.

As a result of the WaterProtect project, the condition of the region’s aquatic environment will improve, and the risk of contamination of both groundwater and surface water will be significantly reduced. The project is also expected to strengthen the competencies of local self-government bodies in water resource management and to establish a lasting platform for cross-border cooperation. This, in turn, will enable more effective planning and implementation of further joint initiatives aimed at protecting the region’s water resources.