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Business Writers |
ARCADIS Wins Two Large Water Quality Management Projects |
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ARNHEM, NETHERLANDS, Dec. 23 -/E-Wire/Business Wire/--
ARCADIS, an international consulting and engineering company, announced today that it has won two cross-border Water Quality Management Projects of a total value of EUR 2.2 million. The first contract concerns an Arda river pollution prevention program in Bulgaria. The second contract involves integrated river basin management planning of the Dnister River in Ukraine. These two projects are additions to the solid track record that makes ARCADIS one of Europe's leading environmental consultants.
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Michiel Jaski, Executive Board Member of ARCADIS, said: "The Arda river project is a good example of what needs to be done in Europe before all European countries comply with the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) in 2015. These kinds of projects usually have the complicating factor that they are cross-border and that countries need to solve their water quality management issues together. ARCADIS has profound experience with supporting governments in this joint approach."
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The Arda River Project is a pollution prevention program in which ARCADIS will facilitate the establishment of a cross-border river basin commission, develop methodologies to increase public involvement and provide technical expertise in setting up a water monitoring system. The Arda River is a cross-border river shared by Bulgaria and Greece. On the Bulgarian side, some 30,000 people from two main cities, Kardjali and Smolyan, are dependent on the water resources of the basin. The water is mainly used for production of electricity and irrigation. Bulgaria is scheduled to join the EU in 2007, and intends to adhere to the timetable for implementing EU legislation with over 200 legal acts including the WFD.
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In the Ukraine, ARCADIS will prepare an integrated regional Lower Dnister River Basin Management Plan. The European Union's WFD will be used as a general reference framework for the plan, with the aim to ensure sustainable improvement of the water quality and protection and restoration of the Lower Dnister ecosystems. This guarantees the citizens of Odessa and neighboring municipalities clean drinking water and supports the establishment of the Lower Dnister National Park. Also, a regional cooperation will be developed between Ukraine and Moldova.
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ARCADIS is an international company providing consultancy, engineering and management services in infrastructure, environment and facilities, to enhance mobility, sustainability and quality of life. ARCADIS develops, designs, implements, maintains and operates projects for companies and governments. With more than 10,000 employees and over EUR 1 billion in gross revenue, the company has an extensive international network that is supported by strong local market positions.
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Except for historical information contained herein, the statements in this release are forward-looking statements that are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the company's actual results in future periods to differ materially from forecasted results. Those risks include, among others, risks associated with possible changes in environmental legislation and risks with regard to the Company's ability to acquire and execute projects. These are other risks are described in ARCADIS' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission over the last 12 months, copies of which will be available from the SEC or may be obtained upon request from the Company.
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Appendix I: Additional information EU Water Framework Directive and examples of other ARCADIS' Water Quality Management Projects
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IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EU WATER FRAMEWORK DIRECTIVE
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There is a growing awareness that our waters form part of our natural heritage, on which we strongly depend and which we therefore need to protect for future generations. We also realize that water forms part of larger systems, comprising surface and groundwater, but also aquatic flora and fauna. This realization, both by experts and by citizens, has led to far-reaching developments in European water policy, culminating in the adoption of the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) by EU Member States in December 2000. The WFD provides a framework for integral protection of surface waters, coastal waters, (brackish) transitioinal waters and groundwater, with the basic goal of achieving 'good environmental status' in all EU Member States by 2015.
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Ultimately, the aim is to achieve sustainable water use throughout Europe. The arrival of this new overarching and integral system is very timely, as Europe's water resources are under strong pressure. Over one-fifth of all surface water in the EU is seriously threatened by pollution, and half of all wetlands are endangered due to groundwater extraction. Whilst the WFD itself may be EU-driven, the principles on which it is based are applicable on a wider scale and are also being adopted by EU accession states and other countries.
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There are two central concepts within the WFD, namely that the whole river basin has to be considered in management issues, and that environmental considerations are of paramount importance. Since river basins cut across municipal, provincial and in some cases national borders, the WFD aims to harmonize water policy and water management of the river basin as a whole, in close consultation with stakeholders including industries, municipalities, basin authorities, NGOs, government institutions and the public at large.
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Under the WFD, water resource management is formulated in a River Basin Management Plan (RBMP). RBMPs are to provide a detailed account of how specific environmental objectives for the river basin (chemical and ecological status, quantitative status, protected area objectives) are to be achieved within a given time frame. The RBMP will include:
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-- an overall analysis of the river basin characteristics
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-- a review of the impact of human activities on the status of waters (in terms of both quantity and quality) and ecosystems in the basin
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-- an assessment of existing legislation and shortcomings in meeting the WFD objectives, including a set of measures to address these shortcomings
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-- the perceived involvement of the public in an open planning process
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-- a 'combined approach' of Emission Limit Values (e.g. discharge concentrations) and water quality standards (e.g. the quality of waters receiving effluents)
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-- an economic analysis of water (use) within the river basin, identifying means of cost recovery
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Based on the RBMPs, each EU Member State is also required to formulate a 'programme of measures' for the river basin areas that are located within its territory. In order to raise the necessary funds for providing water services, Member States are required to carry out a water pricing policy based on the 'polluter pays' principle.
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During the past few years, ARCADIS has assisted Dutch water management authorities as well as several EU accession countries in the implementation of the WFD, in terms of both technical and institutional requirements. Combined with our extensive track record in integrated water resources management worldwide, we can provide consultancy services in the following fields of expertise:
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-- integrated water resources planning
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-- water quantity and quality monitoring and modelling
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-- mapping and GIS applications
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-- wetland and coastal zone management
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-- open planning processes (OPP)/stakeholder participation
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-- policy-making and adaptation of legislation
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-- institutional strengthening of water management organizations economic aspects of water management
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WFD Time Schedule 2003 Transposition of national legislation and identification of River Basin Districts and Authorities 2004 Characterization of river basins: pressures, impacts and economic analysis 2006 Monitoring programmes in place and latest start of public consultation 2009 Finalization of River Basin Management Plans 2010 Water Pricing Policy in place 2012 Operational programmes of measures 2015 Environmental objectives met 2021 First management cycle ends
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OTHER ARCADIS WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT PROJECTS ---------------------------------------------------------------------- COUNTRY DURATION PROJECT DESCRIPTION ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bulgaria 2005-2006 Institutional Strengthening of the East Aegean Sea River Basin Directorate for the Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bulgaria 2005-2006 Support to the Black Sea Basin Directorate for the Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive concerning Coastal Water Monitoring ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bulgaria 2005-2006 National Program for Monitoring of Sediments in Water Bodies ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Hungary 2004-2005 Ecological Survey of Surface Waters ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Poland 2004-2005 Technical Assistance in the Implementation of the EU Water Framework ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Romania 2003-2005 Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Pilot Basins ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bulgaria 2003-2005 Strengthening of the National Groundwater Monitoring System of Bulgaria, as part of the Implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Eastern Europe 2002-2005 Joint Rivers Management ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Bulgaria 2004 Strengthening the Capacity of Health Authorities for Implementation of EU Directives ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Coordination and Finalization of the Rhine-East Netherlands 2004 Basin District Report ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Quick Scan on the Implementation of the WFD in Netherlands 2004 The Netherlands and Germany-Integration of the cross-border Rhine-Delta Basin District Report ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Audit/Evaluation of the River Basin Netherlands 2004 Characterization Reports for the 4 River Basin Districts in The Netherlands ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Quick Scan on the Implementation of the WFD in Netherlands 2004 The Netherlands and Flanders ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Latvia 2003-2004 Economic Analysis according to the EU Water Framework Directive in the River Basin Districts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Analysis of Effectiveness and Costs of Netherlands 2003 Ecological- and Hydromorphological Measures ---------------------------------------------------------------------- The Preparation of WFD Manual for Dutch Ministry of Netherlands 2002 Transport, Public Works and Water Management ----------------------------------------------------------------------
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Note: A fact sheet with more detailed information per project is available and can be requested at c.m.vrijenhoek@arcadis.nl
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CONTACT: ARCADIS Joost Slooten, *31-26-3778604 j.slooten@arcadis.nl www.arcadis-global.com
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