We are delighted to  announce another new publication by members of the FAIRWAY team

van den Brink, C.; Hoogendoorn, M.; Verloop, K.; de Vries, A.; Leendertse, P. Effectiveness of Voluntary Measures to Reduce Agricultural Impact on Groundwater as a Source for Drinking Water: Lessons Learned from Cases in the Dutch Provinces Overijssel and Noord-Brabant. Water 2021, 13, 3278.

https://doi.org/10.3390/w13223278

FAIRWAY is working in 13 case study sites in 11 different European countries. In each case study local farmers are involved in the project sharing with the research team information about the measures they take to reduce the risk polluting (ground)water that is used for drinking. All the farms differ and the farmers work on improvements in their own way.

In the Aalborg case study in northern Denmark the land use is dominated by intensive dairy farming, pigs and crop production. Research is monitoring changes in groundwater quality associated with nitrate and pesticide use mitigation measures. However the chalk lithology makes this a complex picture of fast and slow pathways. Farmers and the water authority have to collaborate to ensure a clean drinking water supply.

»Aalborg, DK

24 November: Webinar - Stakeholder engagement and governance arrangements in European agricultural drinking water catchments

The importance and significance was discussed of well-functioning agricultural – water stakeholder engagement and governance arrangements in agricultural drinking water catchments for effective water protection, also recognizing the rights of the food producers.

»Download the presentations and see the webinar recording

We are delighted to announce the publication of 16 key messages distilled from FAIRWAY's research results. Each one is addressed to the users to whom it is most relevant and provides a summary of the evidence from which the message is drawn with links to further information.

»FAIRWAY's key messages

We are delighted to  announce another new publication by members of the FAIRWAY team

Nesheim I, Sundnes F, Enge C, Graversgaard M, van den Brink C, Farrow L, Glavan M, Hansen B, Leitão IA, Rowbottom J, Tendler L. Multi-Actor Platforms in the Water–Agriculture Nexus: Synergies and Long-Term Meaningful Engagement. Water. 2021; 13(22):3204

https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/22/3204

A new article in The Conversation by Nicolas Surdyk and the FAIRWAY team at BRGM explains how it is a real long-distance race to reduce nitrates in drinking water because of the lag time between pollutants entering water courses and being detected at the waterworks.

»https://theconversation.com/moins-de-nitrates-dans-leau-une-vraie-course-de-fond-165474

English summary

»https://www.brgm.fr/en/news/article/reducing-nitrates-water-real-long-distance-race

22 September 2021 - Webinar on nitrate and pesticide measures & DSS tools

The webinar was designed to be of interest and use to policymakers and stakeholders tasked with reducing nitrate and pesticide losses to water from agricultural systems. Results from the FAIRWAY project highlighting the importance of Decision Support Tools to help land managers implement measures to reduce nitrate and pesticide losses were presented by project partners from across Europe.

»Download the presentations

Recently released on the FAIRWAYiS website - an infographic on coherence in EU law and policy.

»Drinking water protection: coherence in EU law and policy

Agricultural pollution by nitrates and pesticides from agriculture is one ofthe main obstacles to meeting drinking water quality targets in the EU. To successfully prevent and manage diffuse pollution, legal and policy frameworks need to be coherent and consistent.

For more details see »Coherence in EU law and policy for the protection of drinking water resources

Recently released on the FAIRWAYiS website - an infographic on synergies in practices.

»Potential synergies for practices

Potential synergies for evidence-based practices for reducing nitrate and pesticide pollution of drinking water resources.

For more details see »Actors' feedback on practices for improvement of water quality in FAIRWAY case studies and interim project results

Recently released on the FAIRWAYiS website - an infographic on measures to prevent pesticide pollution.

»Prevent pesticide pollution

Best practises to reduce agricultural related pesticide pollution of ground water and surface water resources.

For more details see »Management practices that reduce pesticide transport