The laboratory of the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Centre under the Armenian Ministry of the Environment's recently received ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, issued by the National Accreditation Body of Armenia (ARMNAB), which is now valid for four years. This accreditation covers a wide range of inorganic parameters for monitoring surface and groundwater, including mineral water, industrial wastewater, treated and untreated running water, as well as atmospheric precipitation of metals and other elements. Certified analyses can be provided also for sulphates, nitrates, chlorides, fluorides, bromides, ammonium, nitrites, phosphate ions, electrical conductivity, pH and many other indicators (Home (armmonitoring.am))

The laboratory underwent major refurbishment of its infrastructure between 2018 and 2019 and was upgraded thanks to substantial support from the European Union over more than seven years. This support was provided through the EUWI+ (2016-2021) and EU4Water&Data (2022-2024) projects, under the continued expert guidance of the Environment Agency Austria. The Armenian Deputy Director, Ms. Gayane Shahnazaryan, underlined the crucial role of this international cooperation in achieving this high level of performance.

Over the past two years, the EU support focus has been on training in the analysis of EU priority substances, including groups of organic parameters such as pesticides, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), volatile organic carbons (VOCs) and phthalates. This training aims to prepare the laboratories of the Hydrometeorology Centre as well as those of Kyiv-Vyshgorod, Chisinau, Tbilisi and Baku for the next phase of accreditation and for full compliance with the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

Learn more:

• Success in Water Quality Monitoring with EU Support
• EU-Supported Additional Surveys on Surface and Groundwater Status in Moldova
• Training on Surface Water Data Analysis for Eastern Partnership Countries
• Laboratory in Ukraine Achieves International Accreditation with EU Support, Ensuring Quality in Water Monitoring.

The consultation meeting on the Programme of Measures for the Northern River Basin Management Plan (RBMP) was held in Dzoraget on 23 July 2024. This gathering aimed to engage various stakeholders in developing a sustainable water resources management plan for the Northern River Basin. 

The meeting was attended by 35 participants, including representatives from the Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Territorial Administration and Infrastructures, Statistical Committee of Armenia, as well as Lori and Tavush regional authorities, water users' associations, local communities, and donors. The public consultation meeting was co-chaired by Lilit Abrahamyan, Head of the Department of Water Policy of the Ministry of Environment, and Gayane Hovspeyan, Head of the Department of Water Resources of the Ministry of Environment. 

During the morning session, the Armenian experts responsible for the development of the RBMP highlighted the main issues and presented the proposed measures to address the issues. Participants engaged actively, posing questions to the expert team and the ministry representatives. The afternoon session featured group discussions aimed at prioritizing measures and planning the next steps for the RBMP implementation. 

Attendees appreciated the meeting's role in strengthening cooperation between central and local authorities. questions were raised about the need for more comprehensive data to better understand the river basin's health, including information on domestic, industrial, agricultural and mining pollution or on water abstraction. 

Key measures discussed included the rehabilitation and construction of new wastewater treatment plants, the rehabilitation of abandoned mines (tailings), the improvement of waste management to prevent pollution from landfills, the enhancement of water monitoring capacities, and the construction of reservoirs. 

RBMP development is a collaborative process that enables stakeholders to develop a shared vision for managing and protecting their water resources for future generations. In Armenia, this process is also mandated by the Water Code. Alignment with the EU Water Framework Directive and other EU water-related directives is part of the Comprehensive and Enhanced Partnership Agreement (CEPA) signed between Armenia and the European Union in 2017, which entered into force in May 2021. The Armenian government aims to adopt RBMPs for all six river basins districts by the end of 2024 and ensure their harmonised implementation from 2025. 

In an important step to protect water resources from nitrate pollution, the Ministy of Environment of the Republic of Armenia has adopted a new decree on 18 June 2024. This decree is based on the requirements of the updated Water Code of Armenia, and aims to establish criteria for defining nitrate-vulnerable zones and the measures to be taken to reduce nitrate pollution.  

Establishing criteria for identifying nitrate vulnerable zones  

The decree focuses on water bodies (rivers, groundwater) used for drinking water, as well as lakes, reservoirs and rivers showing signs of eutrophication. The identification process is based on statistical analysis of observation data collected over several years, which ensures reliability. These nitrate vulnerable zones are to be re-evaluated every six years as part of the river basin management plans.  

Measures to reduce nitrate pollution  

To reduce nitrate pollution from agricultural activities, the decree introduces restrictions on the use of nitrogen fertilisers and the storage of livestock manure, taking into account the type of soil and slope, climatic conditions, rainfall, irrigation and agricultural practices. The measures aim at achieving a balance between the nitrogen demand of crops and the amount of nitrogen transferred to soil and water resources resulting in their pollution. The measures, adapted to the specificities of each river basin, will be decided in the framework of the development of the River Basin Management Plans.  

The decree was drafted by an Armenian consultant hired and supervised by UNECE under the EU4Environment Water Resources and Environmental Data Programme. This decree is an important step towards protecting Armenia's water resources and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices. 

Full decree and its annex (in Armenian):   https://www.arlis.am/DocumentView.aspx?docid=194277 

Vanadzor, Armenia – April 22, 2024

On the occasion of the World Earth Day, on 22 April 2024, 60 schoolchildren from Vanadzor school, in the Lori region of Armenia, had the opportunity to participate in activities aimed at familiarising them with how to find and understand environmental data, covering water, air and waste. The NGO "Environment and Health" and the Statistical Committee of the Republic of Armenia joined forces to organise several activities, with the support of the EU4Environment Water Resources and Environmental Data programme.

Student Research Presentations

Three students presented their research on the quality of drinking water, soil, and air in the city of Vanadzor. They highlighted the challenges encountered during data collection, noting that their main sources were books and media publications. Mrs. Naira Mandalyan, a leading specialist from the Statistical Committee, then explained the official sources of environmental data in Armenia and demonstrated how students could access environmental statistics through the Statistical Yearbook for children.

Earth Conservation Painting Contest

Parallel to the seminar, a painting contest on the theme of Earth conservation was launched in early April. The students' artworks were displayed, and the winners were awarded during the closing ceremony. Prizes included educational games and the book "Environmental Fairy Tales," which was donated to the school's library.

Online Engagement and Visibility

The celebration was also a great success on social media. Posts on Facebook and Instagram generated significant interaction, with hundreds of views and reactions, highlighting the community's engagement with environmental issues.

For more information, you can visit the following links:

• Facebook Post 1
• Facebook Post 2
• Instagram Post 1
• Instagram Post 2

Picture: Environment and Health NGO