Purpose and objective

The two primary objectives of the project are to develop an integrated decision making support system (DSS) and the proposal of a feasible/accepted program of activities for sustainable management of extremely vulnerable “urban” groundwater in the alluvial aquifer bellow the highly urbanized area of the Municipality of Ljubljana.

The proposed program of activities will strongly support and offer advanced details and prioritization to the list of measures provisioned in the existing Environmental Action Plan 2007-2013 of Municipality of Ljubljana.

The developed integrated decision making support system will be (after the end of the LIFE+ timeframe) prepared to be incorporated for continuous application in preparing the Municipality’s Action Plan (2014-2020) as well as for the following management periods.

The third primary objective is the development of advanced approaches and tools that can be applied in similar natural and anthropogenic conditions, especially in the wider Sava river basin in the area up to the confluence of the Danube River and broader.

The secondary objectives and main practical goals of the project are:

• The development of high-level reliable information on the natural aquifer system subject to research and its status (that will be comprehensible to the wider population) and to inform the public on how to recognize threats to objectives and interim targets.
• To facilitate the availability of needed information on protection measures to stakeholders and the public, and especially to designers and constructors.
• To recognize and to establish evidence of at least 70-80 % of all the significant emission sources in the area.
• The development of the most advanced scientific and technological procedures and capacities to back track and identify the pollutant or pollution source.
• The development of advanced specialised tools and techniques for interventions in accidental pollution events and for the detection of pollutants.
• The improvement of procedures and legal basis for immediate interventions in accidental spills to minimize risks and maximize intervention capacity and efficiency.
• The proposal of an exact program of activities for accidental pollution events incorporating all bodies responsible or qualified for intervention.
• The preparation of professional groundwork and feasible/acceptable programs of activities for the restoration of deteriorated areas and point sources. The proposal of an integrated program of activities for the sanitation of contamination sites and pollution sources by incorporating all responsible governmental and interested nongovernmental institutions.
• The development of a long-term vision of objectives and benefits, using modelling and the simulation of pressure/impact conditions to the years 2027 and 2050. Long-term projection would also enable establishing interim targets of water management. Interim targets would be set up as a basis for checking progress in order to ensure that certain activities are not delayed, and would facilitate public information, participation, and planning at lower administrative levels.
• The proposal of prioritisation and a hierarchy of existing basic and special (water protection areas) measures and distribution of responsibilities.
• Feasible/acceptable proposals for the improvement of existing legislation and regulations.
• The significant promotion of public awareness on importance of water resource conservation and protection/sanitation measures.