NURSECOAST-II

🌊 The NURSECOAST-II team has published its first findings in a journal article, addressing the critical issue of managing wastewater in tourist-heavy Baltic Sea coastal regions. The study focuses on small treatment plants (<2000 PE) that face seasonal surges in wastewater due to tourism, posing risks to both the environment and the tourism sector. Key findings include: 📍 Many countries in the Baltic Sea region lack comprehensive data on small wastewater treatment plants, including the number of plants and their treatment performance. ⚖️ Regulations vary widely across countries as EU legislation does not cover WWTPs <2000 PE, leading to inconsistent standards for treatment and monitoring. 🌊 Small WWTPs can significantly contribute to nutrient pollution, especially in local coastal areas and their impact is often overlooked. 🔍 A detailed analysis revealed discrepancies in data collection, reporting, and effluent standards, making cross-border collaboration challenging. Key recommendations for local authorities: 🔍 Monitor new developments and construction permits to assess potential wastewater capacity issues in tourist-heavy areas. 🌐 Develop tailored monitoring plans for small WWTPs, taking into account seasonal tourist flows that were often overlooked when infrastructure was designed decades ago. 💡 Work with wastewater specialists to upgrade existing treatment systems or integrate new technologies to better manage seasonal variations in wastewater flow. This research emphasizes the urgent need for harmonized data collection and reporting methods across Baltic Sea countries to ensure consistent and effective wastewater management. 📖 Authors: Izabela Konkol, Ksawery Kuligowski, Piotr Szafranowicz, Virpi Vorne, Anu Reinikainen, Nina Effelsberg, Morten Lykkegaard Christensen, Maria Svensson, Jānis Zviedris, Jolanta Dvarioniene, Adam Cenian 🔗 Read more about our findings here: https://lnkd.in/dbUTFvwS #BalticSea #Sustainability #WastewaterManagement #Tourism #EnvironmentalProtection #NURSECOAST-II #Interreg #BSR

Collaboration is at the heart of the NURSECOAST-II project. In October, project partners from the Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus visited the environmental college Suomen ympäristöopisto SYKLI Oy to gain insights into the Sanitation Safety Planning framework. The purpose of the visit was to explore the practical applications of the framework, particularly for small-scale wastewater treatment and environmental risk management. This visit created an invaluable opportunity to exchange knowledge, share best practices, and strengthen our joint efforts to support coastal resilience. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dhKVKm92 #NURSECOAST_II #wastewatertreatment #sustainability #balticsearegion #wastewater #sanitation #safety

🌊💧 How can Baltic Sea destinations thrive while protecting precious water resources? At the EUSBSR Forum in Visby, experts from across the region tackled this big question! With rising tourist numbers and summer droughts, towns around the Baltic are under pressure. Projects like #WaterMan, ReNutriWater, and NURSECOAST-II II shared innovative ways to repurpose water and manage nutrient pollution—keeping our seas cleaner and our towns thriving. 🌱🏖️ #Gotland’s leaders highlighted a bold shift: moving beyond "sustainable" tourism to #regenerativetourism. Imagine a future where travelers don’t just visit—they leave destinations better than they found them. 🌍✨ Full article https://lnkd.in/ebZZgHVc EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region European Committee of the Regions

🌊NURSECOAST-II project attended the 15th Annual Forum of the EU Baltic Sea Strategy in Visby, Sweden on October 30-31, where over 650 experts and stakeholders gathered to drive sustainable solutions for the Baltic region.🌊 💧 Anu Reinikainen from Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus presented the NURSECOAST-II results, spotlighting the impact of seasonal tourism on small wastewater treatment plants and sharing innovative solutions to boost efficiency. 🏖️ In a dedicated workshop, the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR) and NURSECOAST-II explored water supply issues facing Baltic coastal tourist towns. A panel with three Interreg Baltic Sea Region projects—WaterMan, ReNutriWater, and NURSECOAST-II—highlighted Gotland’s significant water shortages, especially in the Storsudret area, where thin soils and scarce groundwater now necessitate importing desalinated water from 25 km away. The Forum provided invaluable insights into local climate and seasonal challenges, sparking new ideas and collaborations. Read more: https://lnkd.in/dBkfwszD #BalticSeaStrategy #WaterResilience #NURSECOAST_II #SustainableTourism #EUSBSR #Interreg

This week, we had the opportunity to meet with the NURSECOAST-II project team in Poland to discuss the challenges and opportunities faced by the various pilot sites around the Baltic Sea. It was a productive exchange of ideas, addressing critical aspects of wastewater treatment and sustainable coastal management.💡 During the visit, we toured one of the pilot facilities—a wastewater treatment plant located in the Bure Misie Settlement, in Nowy Klincz near Kościerzyna. 🌊 Seeing the plant in action reinforced the importance of our collaborative efforts to drive innovation and improve water quality management. #NURSECOAST_II #SustainableWaterManagement #Innovation #BSR #WastewaterTreatment #EuropeanProjects

🌞 While July and August are often filled with vacations and holiday trips for many, NURSECOAST-II lead partner Institute of Fluid-Flow Machinery, Polish Academy of Sciences (IMP PAN) and Izabela Konkol´s focus remained on monitoring the quality of raw and treated sewage at our project partner’s facility. Weekly sewage samples were collected and analyzed for key parameters such as COD, BOD, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and more. The goal was to capture seasonal variations in sewage composition during the summer months—an essential aspect of our project. With September upon us, work will continue, and we look forward to presenting the results at our upcoming meeting in October. Stay tuned! 💧🌿

🌍 NURSECOAST-II participated at Europe Forum 2024 in Turku! 🌊 We're thrilled to have presented the NURSECOAST-II project at the Europe Forum 2024. The event highlighted the critical role of sustainable water management in addressing climate challenges and ensuring water security. The opening remarks were delivered by Patrick Child, Deputy Director General for Environment, Cities Mission Manager. He stressed the increasing importance of effective water management, noting that climate change, poor practices, overuse, and pollution cost Europe’s water economy 9 billion euros last year. Water is not just a local issue; it requires broader attention, which is why the European Council has added water resilience to its strategic agenda Anu Reinikainen from the Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus participated in the panel discussion and shared the importance of small-scale wastewater treatment in coastal areas. A big thank you to all who made this event a success! 🌟 🎥 Read more about the event and watch the full recording: https://lnkd.in/dUktnZEq #EuropeForum2024 #NURSECOAST_II #Sustainability #WaterManagement

The Europe Forum's "Riding the Wave" panel was a great success. Check out these behind-the-scenes photos! You can watch the full recording of the panel online: https://lnkd.in/dpf_2SuZ (Riding the Wave panel between 1:02:50 - 1:53:30) -We need to go beyond the traditional legislative instruments and also use technology, innovations and investments in securing water resilience. The existing resources must be utilized effectively. For example, Interreg funds are a good instrument in finding new solutions, Patrick Child said in his speech. NURSECOAST-II #waterman Anu Reinikainen Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus Marcin Żuchowski #watersecurity #wastewater #waterreuse #Interreg #BalticSea

🌊 Celebrating Baltic Sea Day Today! 🌊 Today, we celebrate Baltic Sea Day—a special occasion to appreciate the beauty and significance of the Baltic Sea, which belongs to all of us. The day is initiated by the John Nurminen Foundation and it is not just about celebration but also about inspiring action. It’s an opportunity to learn more about the Baltic Sea's diverse nature, rich culture, and deep history. #BalticSeaDay

📣 EVENT | Riding the Wave: Ensuring Water Security in the Baltic Sea Region Through Sustainable and Resilient Water Management One week to go! 🚨 We are excited to invite you to join us at the #EUGreenWeek partner event at #EuropeForum on August 28th in Turku, Finland, or online! 📅 Date: 28 August 2024 🕒 Time: 14:00 - 14:45 (EET) 🔗 Live stream: https://lnkd.in/ehEX_w3z The event will kick off with opening remarks by Patrick Child, Deputy Director General for Environment, Cities Mission Manager. Anu Reinikainen from the Natural Resources Institute Finland / Luonnonvarakeskus will introduce the NURSECOAST-II project, showcasing our efforts in piloting alternative treatment technologies and promoting sustainable water management. We are proud to collaborate with other Interreg Baltic Sea Region projects—ReNutriWater, Waterman, and City Blues—focused on water security and sustainable practices. With these initiatives we are working together to recover safe water and nutrients from wastewater, implement water reuse strategies, pilot innovative treatment technologies, and prevent flooding using nature-based solutions. 🌊 All these efforts contribute significantly to the Policy Area Nutri in the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gmRP7Tbn #WaterWiseEU #WaterSecurity #Wastewater #WaterReuse #Interreg #BSR #NURSECOAST_II