Water Quality in Slovenia - Agencija RS za okolje
Water Quality in Slovenia - Agencija RS za okolje
Water Quality in Slovenia - Agencija RS za okolje
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40<br />
2.4.2<br />
W A T E R Q U A L I T Y I N S L O V E N I A<br />
<strong>Quality</strong> of Bath<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Water</strong><br />
In our modern way of life, it is almost impossible for us to dedicate some time to sports and recreation,<br />
even though <strong>Slovenia</strong>n rivers, lakes and a part of the Adriatic Sea offer various water-related sports -<br />
from traditional bath<strong>in</strong>g and boat<strong>in</strong>g for relaxation to adrenal<strong>in</strong>e-<strong>in</strong>duc<strong>in</strong>g white-water descents over<br />
waterfalls and rapids. With the <strong>in</strong>tention of protect<strong>in</strong>g bathers’ health, <strong>in</strong> 1976 with<strong>in</strong> the European<br />
Union region the Bath<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Water</strong> Directive (48) was adopted. The requirements of the directive were<br />
fully transposed also <strong>in</strong>to <strong>Slovenia</strong>n legislation <strong>in</strong> 2003 (49, 50). Its implementation is shared by<br />
M<strong>in</strong>istry of the Environment and Spatial Plann<strong>in</strong>g and M<strong>in</strong>istry of Health. The quality of bath<strong>in</strong>g water<br />
is monitored <strong>in</strong> 37 natural bath<strong>in</strong>g waters dur<strong>in</strong>g the bath<strong>in</strong>g season, which lasts from 15th June to<br />
31st August <strong>in</strong> fresh waters and from 15th June to 30th September <strong>in</strong> coastal waters. Dur<strong>in</strong>g this<br />
period, bath<strong>in</strong>g water is sampled at least every 14 days. In bath<strong>in</strong>g waters where bath<strong>in</strong>g is explicitly<br />
authorized, the bath<strong>in</strong>g water quality monitor<strong>in</strong>g is organised by the bath<strong>in</strong>g water operator who<br />
provides the data to the bath<strong>in</strong>g water register at the Institute of Public Health of the Republic of<br />
<strong>Slovenia</strong>; <strong>in</strong> the other bath<strong>in</strong>g waters, monitor<strong>in</strong>g is carried out by the Environmental Agency of the<br />
Republic of <strong>Slovenia</strong> (51). Dur<strong>in</strong>g the sampl<strong>in</strong>g, the presence of visible impurities, phenols, m<strong>in</strong>eral oils<br />
and surface-active substances are assessed, and <strong>in</strong> the laboratory, further physico-chemical analyses<br />
(phenols, m<strong>in</strong>eral oils, surface-active substances) and analyses for the presence of microbiological<br />
pollutants (total coliforms, feacal coliforms and feacal streptococci) are carried out. The quality results<br />
are presented <strong>in</strong> annual report on the quality of natural bath<strong>in</strong>g waters (47) and also <strong>in</strong> report to the<br />
European Commission on the implementation of the Bath<strong>in</strong>g <strong>Water</strong> Directive (52), which must be<br />
sent to the competent <strong>in</strong>stitutions <strong>in</strong> Brussels by the end of each year. Based on the Member States’<br />
annual reports, the Commission draws up a summary report and publishes it on the <strong>in</strong>ternet (53),<br />
with the aim to <strong>in</strong>form the public on the quality of bath<strong>in</strong>g water quality <strong>in</strong> the European Union and<br />
<strong>in</strong> each <strong>in</strong>dividual Member State. The <strong>in</strong>formation about the bath<strong>in</strong>g water quality is also available<br />
on the <strong>in</strong>formation boards set up <strong>in</strong> the bath<strong>in</strong>g water areas; <strong>in</strong> addition, all reports are available on<br />
the websites of the Environmental Agency of the Republic of <strong>Slovenia</strong> and of the Institute of Public<br />
Health of the Republic of <strong>Slovenia</strong>.<br />
Already at the end of 2004, <strong>Slovenia</strong> has for the first time reported to the Commission the results of<br />
the bath<strong>in</strong>g water quality, even it had been a member of the European Union for only six months. Our<br />
report<strong>in</strong>g obligation is carried out with diligence and the monitor<strong>in</strong>g data from 2004 to 2006 (Chart<br />
8) show that occasionally exceeded microbiological parameters were the only reason for the noncompliance<br />
of the freshwater and coastal bath<strong>in</strong>g waters. Consider<strong>in</strong>g the strict statistical evaluation