The challenge
Water – the indispensable source of life for human kind. We can't survive without it. We need to protect it now for future generations. Within the European Union, this growing awareness to protect our natural heritage has resulted in the EU Water Framework Directive – an ambitious plan. Before the 2015 year-end, good environmental water quality should be reached in all EU Member States. A challenge for ARCADIS. Hungary asked us to conduct an ecological survey of all surface waters in the country and to formulate a nation-wide monitoring program.

The approach
ARCADIS developed an efficient method for testing water status – a guideline describing all the biological quality elements. Local people were trained. Half a million water samples were collected and analyzed. The results were implemented in a monitoring and assessment system. Within a year, the project was successfully accomplished.

The result
The experience gained in Hungary pushed boundaries. Projects in other Central European countries and The Netherlands followed and proved to be successful. In Europe, good environmental water status is within reach.