Chapter 3
Causes and Effects of Water Pollution
in Romania
Iuliana Gabriela Breaban and Ana Ioana Breaban
Abstract After 2007, Romania adopted and implemented EU legislation on water
management. Romanian groundwaters are polluted locally from point sources (landfills) and from diffuse sources of pollution (fertilizers, pesticides and canals, in urban
areas). Over-exploitation of underground water wells can lead to indirect diffuse pollution, causing salty water intrusion, exploitation of mineral aggregates. In order to
establish water quality, Romania applies a monitoring flow in accordance with the
WFD, both for surface water bodies as well as for groundwater bodies. Nowadays are
3.027 surface water bodies from which 2470 are natural water bodies, 488 heavily
modified water bodies and 69 artificial water bodies. 50% of all bodies of surface
water have been classified as heavily modified water bodies (35%) or artificial water
(15%) while 16% (23/143) of underground water bodies were outside the chemical
parameters imposed by the rules. Pressures are generated by (i) human agglomeration
(lack of connection to the sewerage system and to the sewage treatment plants); (ii)
industry (wastewater discharges); (iii) agriculture (nutrient and pesticide emissions);
(iv) hydrotechnical works (dams, dikes, sills, weirs, diversions); (v) other anthropic
activities.
Keywords Pollution · Water quality · Surface water · Groundwater · Sources
3.1 Introduction
Water is the source of life, the fresh water being a precious resource. The quality of
water resources is a matter of necessity and attractiveness, of continuous relevance
given that the freshwater resources of the planet represent only 2.5% of the water on
I. G. Breaban (B)
Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and Geology,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Bd. Carol I 20A, 700505 Iasi, Romania
e-mail: iulianab2001@gmail.com
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, CERNESIM, 11 Carol I Bld., 700506 Iasi, Romania
A. I. Breaban
Faculty of Hydrotechnical Engineering, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, Technical
University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iasi, Bd. D. Mangeron 65, 700050 Iasi, Romania
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. M. Negm et al. (eds.), Water Resources Management in Romania, Springer Water,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22320-5_3
57
Causes and Effects of Water Pollution
in Romania
Iuliana Gabriela Breaban and Ana Ioana Breaban
Abstract After 2007, Romania adopted and implemented EU legislation on water
management. Romanian groundwaters are polluted locally from point sources (landfills) and from diffuse sources of pollution (fertilizers, pesticides and canals, in urban
areas). Over-exploitation of underground water wells can lead to indirect diffuse pollution, causing salty water intrusion, exploitation of mineral aggregates. In order to
establish water quality, Romania applies a monitoring flow in accordance with the
WFD, both for surface water bodies as well as for groundwater bodies. Nowadays are
3.027 surface water bodies from which 2470 are natural water bodies, 488 heavily
modified water bodies and 69 artificial water bodies. 50% of all bodies of surface
water have been classified as heavily modified water bodies (35%) or artificial water
(15%) while 16% (23/143) of underground water bodies were outside the chemical
parameters imposed by the rules. Pressures are generated by (i) human agglomeration
(lack of connection to the sewerage system and to the sewage treatment plants); (ii)
industry (wastewater discharges); (iii) agriculture (nutrient and pesticide emissions);
(iv) hydrotechnical works (dams, dikes, sills, weirs, diversions); (v) other anthropic
activities.
Keywords Pollution · Water quality · Surface water · Groundwater · Sources
3.1 Introduction
Water is the source of life, the fresh water being a precious resource. The quality of
water resources is a matter of necessity and attractiveness, of continuous relevance
given that the freshwater resources of the planet represent only 2.5% of the water on
I. G. Breaban (B)
Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and Geology,
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Bd. Carol I 20A, 700505 Iasi, Romania
e-mail: iulianab2001@gmail.com
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, CERNESIM, 11 Carol I Bld., 700506 Iasi, Romania
A. I. Breaban
Faculty of Hydrotechnical Engineering, Geodesy and Environmental Engineering, Technical
University “Gheorghe Asachi” of Iasi, Bd. D. Mangeron 65, 700050 Iasi, Romania
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
A. M. Negm et al. (eds.), Water Resources Management in Romania, Springer Water,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22320-5_3
57