Aqua Life

Abbreviation of project’s titleAqua Life
Full title of the projectWater Environment Protection and Grain Lifestyle Measures Development in Latvia and Russia Border Regions
Project’s logo
Supported by (programme)Est-Lat-Rus-LOGO
Short summary of the project According to Eurobarometer survey, more than 80% of European citizens are concerned about water quality in their countries and 75% consider chemical pollution as the main threat to water environment. Researches show, that the amount of fresh water is generally reducing in Europe.
Today everyday life of people is unimaginable without the dish and laundry detergents; according to statistics about 85% of households daily use chemical detergents, which cause significant environmental damage. The result of water pollution is the lack of clean water for households and industrial needs, unsuitable living environment for water inhabitants.
When the phosphates get into rivers, lakes or the sea the amount of algae considerably increases, causing oxygen shortage. Mineral fertilizers (nitrates, phosphates) and organic matters in water cause the overgrowth of water bodies, which further on causes significant damage to the ecosystems.
In Latgale and Pskov regions existing public artificial and natural water bodies are polluted and very overgrown, water coasts are not cleaned from the reeds. They need intensive renewal and reconstruction.
The project addresses this common problem in both border areas arising from the lack of financial resources and necessary experience in the field, and aims to promote the attractiveness of artificial and natural water bodies, environmentally friendly behaviour and protection of environment, and to raise the awareness of the population of green lifestyle.
Overall objectiveTo improve the attractiveness of the border areas through joint educational approach, exchange of experience and solutions aiming at the improvement of the environmental condition of the public artificial and natural water bodies in Latvia and Russia.
Specific objective
  • To promote the attractiveness of public artificial and natural water bodies in border areas of Latvia and Russia
  • To establish a joint cross-border approach for the protection of environment and for the improvement of biodiversity in water bodies
  • To promote environmentally friendly attitudes, which means a sense of responsibility towards the environment, and to raise awareness of the environment protection
  • To develop a society, which lives in harmony with the environment by raising the awareness on environmental issues
BeneficiaryLatvian office of Euroregion “Country of lakes” (Latvia)
PartnersCounty Council of Riebini (Latvia)
Dagda Local Municipality (Latvia)
County Council of Preili (Latvia)
Ilukste Local Municipality (Latvia)
County Council of Livani (Latvia)
Local Municipality of Daugavpils (Latvia)
Administration of Pechory Town (Russia)
District Administration of Pitalovo (Russia)
District Administration of Pskov (Russia)
Expected resultsImprovement of water bodies

  • Attractiveness of public artificial and natural water bodies in border areas of Latvia and Russia on the project territory improved: Reconstruction works on 3 water bodies; preparation of 8 technical projects for further reconstruction; installation of 33 waste containers and 7 wooden platforms for the waste containers
  • 10 specialists of partner’s municipalities trained on conservation of the artificial and natural water bodies and their sustainable management
  • Common guidelines on maintenance of water bodies are prepared on the basis of the analysis of European and Russian best practices to establish joint cross-border approach for the protection of environment

Education on environment issues

  • Mobile “Green laboratory” organized (visited by up to 960 local inhabitants of 10 towns in Latvia and Russia)
  • 2 summer camps “Eco School of Life” in Preiļi, Latvia, and Sebezh, Russia, organized for 60 children of 12 to 14 years
  • One book “Explore the Environment” with educational material additional to biology lessons for 6-8 form created (3720 copies, 1488 in Russian and 2232 in Latvian, available for 4516 children)

Information and Visibility

  • 10 water and coast line public cleaning events organized in 10 municipalities to raise the responsibility of inhabitants for the environment and personal involvement (with about 50 participants each)
  • Video material “AQUA LIFE” prepared and shown to at least 4516 children of 12 to 14 years in Latvia and Russia border area schools
  • 4 local web-sites supplemented with the information on the environment projects
Final beneficiariesLocal inhabitants of partner municipalities (158 942)
Tourists (217 229 – for the year 2011)
Duration18 months
BudgetTotal budget: 579 932,68 EUR
Programme co-financing: 521 939,41 EUR (90%)
Project co-financing: 57 993,27 EUR (10%)
Contact PersonMs Inese Matisāne
inese.matisane@preili.lv
+ 371 26315587