The "Water and Health for Georgia" project aims to enhance water quality and address environmental health challenges in Georgia by strengthening water monitoring networks, expanding data management capacities, and aligning water management practices with EU standards. The project prioritizes gender equality and social inclusion, ensuring access to safe water and better public health outcomes. Specific measures include addressing lead contamination, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Collaboration between the environment and health sectors in Georgia is key for the implemention of this project. The acitvities are supported by a partnership between Umweltbundesamt (Austria), Expertise France, and OiEau (France). Running from 2024 to 2027 with an EU-funded budget of €4.9 million, the project seeks to create sustainable improvements in water management and public health.

SO1 – Better capacity to monitor, analyse and regulate water quality and quantity
SO2 – Efficiency of the healthcare system reinforced in tackling environmental health issues

- Development of ground water quality and quantity monitoring programme (expansion of moni-toring network and installation of monitoring stations);
- Supply of chemical and biological laboratory equipment necessary for better analysis of water quality and relevant trainings provided;
- Upgrading of Water Information System of Georgia;
- Enhancement of regular water flow measurements through deployment of automatic water level monitoring system and field expeditions;
- Development of gender equality and social inclusion checklist to improve water resources man-agement;
- Strengthen gender equality and social inclusion awareness of the NEA and other involved agen-cies on the impact of water quality on people’s health. Conduct capacity building on gender mainstreaming in environmental programmes;
- Development of environmental public health tracking capacities, which could include surveil-lance of lead poisoning/lead biomonitoring, waterborne diseases and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) in child care, education and medical facilities;
- Activities to strengthen the health and environment sector capacities for effective implementa-tion of EU acquis in the field of bathing and drinking water quality monitoring, assessment and management;
- Support in the implementation of the Marine Environment Strategy including in the framework of the 4th National Programme of Environmental Protection Actions of Georgia for 2022-2026 (NEAP-4);
- Support in the preparation of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for projects of Basin Management Plans that have been / will be developed;
- Support in the development of the methodology on water protection strips and updating of rele-vant by-laws
- Development of national programmes/plans for lead containing substances to ensure safety for human health and environment.