MicroDrink – Capacity building for management and governance of MICROplastics in DRINKing water resources of Danube Region

MicroDrink is a follow-up of the project boDEREC-CE which has been focused on emerging contaminants in drinking water, recognized MP pollution as a common Danube River Basin challenge that can only be tackled with strong transboundary cooperation. The European Commission aims to find an analytical methodology for microplastics in drinking water, in order to carry out a complete risk assessment by 2029. Precondition for this is elaboration and acceptance of harmonised sampling and analytical methods. This is where MicroDrink steps in, by supporting cross-border and cross-sector cooperation, exchange of knowledge and experience regarding MP sampling, analysis, monitoring and risk assessment in DRB drinking water resources.
MicroDrink aims to make Danube region more resilient to MP pollution by closing the knowledge gaps regarding MP through open online MicroDrink knowledge base offering comprehensive review of MP sampling methods, laboratory instruments and analytical techniques, establishing and maintain synergies with past and current EU projects dealing with DRB water management and protection, engaging relevant national and transnational stakeholders via targeted meetings, workshops and events.
MicroDrink’s innovative approach is implementation of MP approach harmonized at EU and non-EU level, tested in designated transboundary pilot sites where MP will be monitored in 9 pilot actions equally distributed in 3 clusters (karst, intergranular, surface/river bank filtration) representative of the vast majority of DRB drinking water resource types.
Investigations will be conducted in 9 pilot areas in 8 countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, Germany, Slovenia and Serbia).

For more information please visit the project website https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/microdrink or read our newsletter available at https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/microdrink/news/newsletter-no-1