NOR-WATER

This project is aimed at identifying the main emerging pollutants (EPs) and their sources in the hydrographic basins of northern Portugal and Galicia. In addition, it is focused on developing, implementing and harmonizing a set of innovative multidisciplinary tools to minimize the impact of EPs on these water bodies. The project will also contribute to the improvement of water quality and will enhance the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in this cross-border area.

 The four main aims of NOR-WATER are: 

• Identifying the main emerging pollutants (EPs), including fire-related runoff compounds in rivers, as well as their sources and transformation products (TPs), in the hydrographic basins of northern Portugal and Galicia.
• Developing new analytical methods and ecotoxicological tools, as well as prediction and modeling tools, for those EPs which pose the highest potential risk to ecosystems.
• Assessing the efficiency of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in removing EPs, as well as developing tools to improve treatment systems and increase their efficiency in EPs removal.
• Transferring the results to the entities that are responsible for the implementation of the WFD in the management of inland and coastal water bodies, as well as to the technology companies in charge of water treatment. In parallel, cross-border activities focused on environmental education are intended to be carried out, thus contributing to a behavioral change in civil society.