The UrbanBlueHealth project is implemented within the Interreg Central Europe Program under the specific priority goal of Enhancing Resilience to Climate Change Risks in Central Europe (SO2.2). Interreg Central Europe (CE) is a transnational cooperation program that supports addressing shared challenges and needs among its members: Austria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia. The Interreg CE Program is financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) under the European Territorial Cooperation goal of the EU Cohesion Policy 2021-2027.
Program Challenge Addressed by the Project:
UrbanBlueHealth addresses the critical issue of water quality in urban areas, which is a significant ecological and public health challenge. According to the WHO and DG Health, the quality of water—whether natural or for bathing—can significantly impact human health. Although the EU has made progress in improving surface water quality and reducing pollution threats, urban water quality also requires attention due to the increasing number of urban “beaches.” Exposure to chemical, microbiological, and pathogenic pollutants can occur in any bathing water, including urban sites. In the CE region, 65% of urban surface waters only meet the minimum standards under the Bathing Water Directive
Overall Project Goal and Expected Changes:
The goal of UrbanBlueHealth is to describe the health impacts of bathing waters on urban populations and to undertake measures to improve the urban environment in the CE region. Expected outcomes include improved quality of urban bathing waters, reduced health risks associated with water pollution, and strengthened capacity of local and regional authorities to manage bathing sites.
Project Innovation:
The project is innovative as it develops the Blue Health Repository, a tool to assist decision-makers in monitoring the quality of urban bathing waters and their changes. The project will also involve the creation, testing, and implementation of national action plans to improve the urban bathing environment at pilot locations. Additionally, capacity-building courses will be organized, tailored to bathing site managers and local/regional authorities responsible for beach management
Key Results and Beneficiaries:
The project will deliver several key outcomes, including the Blue Health Repository for water quality monitoring, national action plans for improving bathing environments, and capacity-building courses for operational authorities. Beneficiaries will include local and regional authorities, cities, NGOs, and pilot urban bathing sites that will participate in the development, testing, and implementation of the action plans and capacity-building activities.
Implementation Approach and the Need for Transnational Cooperation:
Project activities are structured to maximize opportunities for cooperation and the exchange of experiences and ideas at the transnational level. Transnational cooperation is essential to ensure knowledge and experience sharing among partners from different countries, contributing to a more effective resolution of urban bathing water quality issues. The Transnational Bathing Water Platform will ensure project monitoring and maintain collaboration with potential stakeholders. National/regional health authorities and institutions will provide essential data on bathing water quality and its health impacts at a transnational level.
The project is coordinated by the National Public Health and Pharmacy Center in Budapest, with a total of 9 partners from 5 countries participating. Three work packages are planned to achieve the project’s objectives.