Thematic Summary Pripyat River Basin Management Plan in Belarus

European Union Water Initiative Plus for Eastern Partnership Countries (EUWI+): Results 2 and 3

ENI/2016/372-403

THEMATIC SUMMARY PRIPYAT RIVER BASIN MANAGEMENT PLAN IN BELARUS

March 2020

Pripyat River Basin Management Plan prepared шт 2019-2020 by the Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources (CRICUWR) in the frame of realization Term of Reference on the Contract between CRICUWR and IOWater/OIEau “Development of draft River Basin Management Plan for PRIPYAT River Basin in Belarus” (Registration N° EUWI-EAST-BY-07). The management plan draft for the Pripyat River Basin was developed by RUE "CRICUWR" on the basis of Article 15 of the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus dated April 30, 2014 No.149-З [1] in order to preserve and restore water bodies, as well as the integrated use of water resources in the Pripyat River Basin. Parts of the RBMP are created taking into account the recommendations of the Water Framework Directive of the European Union, as well as taking into account the requirements of the technical code of established practice of TCP 17.06-14-2017 (33140) “Environmental protection and nature management. Hydrosphere”. In the framework of the RBMP, measures have been developed aimed at improving the ecological state (status) of surface water bodies (their parts) of the Pripyat River basin. The implementation of the RBMP is planned for 10 years from 2021 to 2030. The developed measures should also be taken into account when forming state and other programs, regional series of measures in the field of water protection and use.

CONTENTS

1. Characterization of the river basin district ...... 2 2. Pressures and impacts of human activities on water resources ...... 5 3. Protected areas ...... 8 4. Water bodies status and risk analysis ...... 10 5. Environmental objectives ...... 13 6. Ecomonic analysis ...... 14 7. Programme of measures ...... 15 a. Type of measures...... 15 b. Cost ...... 19 c. Stakeholders to be involved ...... 19 8. Summary of strategies, programmes, plans and projects ...... 20 9. Summary of the consultations ...... 21 10. List of competent authorities ...... 21 11. Procedure for obtaining the technical reports ...... 21

1. Characterization of the river basin district

The Pripyat River is the most water-abundant tributary of the Dnieper River. It originates near the city of Volodymyr-Volynskyi (Ukraine). Its headstream is located near the settlement Gupolyto the southwest of the city of Shatsk at an altitude of 165 m above sea level.Over about 200 km the river flows through the territory of Ukraine, and then it flows through the territory of Belarus.The mouth of the river is 70 km long, stretching from the Krasno settlement to the confluence of the Kiev reservoir (the Dnie- perRiver) within Ukraine. From the headstream to the city of Pinsk (Belarus), the river flows mainly from the southwest to the northeast. Near the city of Pinsk, Pripyat turns to the east and flows almost along the latitudinal direction to the city of Mazyr, where it changes its direction to the southeast, which continues up to the mouth. According to the latest data, the Pripyat basin area is 114300 km2, and the length of the river is 761 km (Figure 1). Within the territory of the Republic of Belarus, these values constitute, respectively, 50822 km2 (24.5% of the area of the Republic of Belarus) and 495 km. The Belarusian part of the basin accounts for 44.5% of the catchment area, and the Ukrainian part includes 55.5%.

Figure 1 - Global map of the Pripyat river basin

The climate of the Pripyat basin is moderate continental, characterized by warm and humid summers and fairly mild winters.Climate continentality increases in the south-east direction. The annual amounts of the radiation balance increase from southwest to east and southeast from 1200 MJ/m2 to 1735 MJ/m2. The radiation balance of the territory largely predetermines the temperature regime. The modern relief of the Pripyat River Basin is represented mainly by flat and billowy-sloping lowlands and plains, river valleys and individual massifs of glacial-moraine formations. The depth of dissection usually does not exceed 5 m. And only in some places, in the area of elevation, it can reach 50 m or more. The Pripyat basin is notable for a high degree of bogging. About 1/3 of its surface is covered by swamps. Herbal (eutrophic) swamps occupying wide floodplains of river valleys prevail here. Swamp is a moistened area of the earth's surface, overgrown with hygrophilous vegetation.. It is characterized

by the accumulation of undecomposed plant residues and the formation of peat (a layer of at least 0.3 m.). A population of 1060.675 thousand lives within the territory of the Pripyat river basin. This amount includes 602.49 thousand urban populations and 458.185 thousand rural populations. As of January 1, 2018, in the Pripyat river basin 362.859 thousand people lived in the Brest region (including 152.207 thousand people in the city, 205.652 thousand people in rural areas). In the Gomel region there are 324.839 thousand people in (including 224.733 thousand people of the urban population and 118.106 thousand people of the rural population). In the Minsk region there are 335.459 thousand people (213.412 thousand people of the urban population and 122.047 thousand people of the rural population). In the Mogilyov region there are 18.933 thousand people (7.138 thousand people of the urban population and 11.795 thousand people of the rural population).In the Grodno region there are 0.585 thousand people (all 585 peoples related to the rural population). Modern hydrography of the Pripyat river basin is characterised by wandering, calm, overgrown rivers and many direct reclamation channels, straightened rivers, as well as various reservoirs of natural and artificial origin and swamps.In total, the Pripyat river basin has more than 14.9 thousand watercourses, of which almost 92% are small rivers less than 10 km long. The total length of small rivers is 55% of the length of the entire river network. According to the identification (delination), taking into account the stock data, the hydrographic network in the Pripyat River basin includes 715 surface water bodies, including:  636 surface water bodies (SWB) on watercourses or their parts (rivers, streams, channels) with a catchment area of more than 30 km2 and an average length of 15.9 km;  79 water bodies (lakes, reservoirs, ponds) with a water surface area of more than 0.5 km2 and an average water surface area of 3.60 km2. Lake percentage of the main tributariesof the Pripyat does not exceed 1%, and in the whole basin it is 0.22%. The largest lakes in the basin are Chervonoye (40.8 km2), Vygonovskoye (26 km2) and Chernoye (17.3 km2). The number of reservoirs has increased due to their construction during the drying and land reclamation (Krasnoslobodskoe, Lyubanskoe, Selets, and others). Besides lake and river reservoirs, reservoirs of pouring type were built for two-sided regulation of the soil moisture of reclaimed land. Typical reservoirs of this type are the Big Eagles, Red Square, Golovchitskoe and others. Some of them were created on the basis of lakes (Pogost, Sporovskoe, Lukovskoe).Typical reservoirs of this type are the Bolshie Orly, Krasnaya Ploschad, Golovchitskoe and others. Some of them were created on the basis of lakes (Pogost, Sporovskoe, Lukovskoe). In the Pripyat river basin in Belarus, only 14.5% of river water bodies and 26.0% of lake water bodies are close to their natural state. The remaining surface waters bodies were changed in view of various engineering activities. The Pripyat River basin is distinguished by a large degree of land wetness. The Polesye zone is particularly overmoistened, where the share of overmoistened agricultural land on average equals 75%. Melioration systems with a total area of more than 600 thousand hectares, built in Belarus more than 20 years ago, especially those with organogenic soils, currently need reconstruction, restoration and improvement of the technical condition, including improving the reliability of their operation. Within the older systems, moreover, land productivity is 25–50% lower than within systems with a modern technical level. Totally, more than 2,641.8 thousand hectares of agricultural land were drained, 1,140.0 thousand hectares of which were arable land. This caused the destruction of the natural ecosystems of the whole unique natural region. In the Polesye region of Belarus, over 40% of wetlands have been drained. As a result of identification ground water bodies 11 ground water bodies were allocated in the Pripyat river basin in Belarus. According to the conditions of occurrence and formation, groundwater of the basin are subdivided into groundwater and interstratal, as well as sporadic waters spread in sand lenses and interlayers of moraines and other water beds.Depending on the total salt content, they are 3 divided into fresh (up to 1.0 g/dm3) and mineralized (over 1.0 g/dm3). Shallow groundwater has been caused by predominantly lowland nature of the Pripyat basin. Groundwater is unprotected and poorly protected. Under these conditions, soluble substances from the earth's surface with infiltration waters freely fall into the groundwater, as a result of which their natural hydrochemical composition, formed during the geological history, is disrupted. This causes not only an increase of the concentration of individual chemicals, but also their total content. Quantitatively natural groundwater resources are characterized by the volume of the modulus of underground runoff, which is the average groundwater discharge flow of a given occurrence per unit area of the aquifer (complex) or groundwater basin within which this flow is formed.In this case, the module of underground runoff refers to the entire zone of active water exchange and characterizes the total underground runoff of fresh water. The most geographically significant nature management in the basin as a whole is agricultural activity. The percent of overbuild areas within the Pripyat basin is 3.7%, which is slightly less than the average for Belarus (4.0%). The Pripyat floodplain has been quite extensively modified. According to various estimates, up to 24% of it is occupied by arable and refined meadow lands. The Pripyat basin belongs to the regions of intensive hydrotechnical land reclamation. Drained land covers about 1,115 thousand hectares or 22% of its territory (with 16.4% on average in Belarus). Agricultural land accounts for 84% of drained land. Their share decreased by 1–2% as a result of the transfer of part of the land contami- nated with radionuclides into unused lands. Drained lands are tilled within 38% of the territory, that is, for the most part they are used as grasslands. In this region, agriculture is largely based on drained agricultural land. In particular administrative districts, in their total area, drained land occupies more than half. The main legal entities include state forestry institutions of the Ministry of Forestry are 38 forestry enterprises by the number of administrative districts in the Pripyat basin. The main woodworking enterprises in the Pripyat basin are ZAO “Pinskdrev” and OAO “Mazyrdrev”. Manufacturing is the most important sector of the national economy, having a decisive effect on the level of development of the productive power of society.It consists of two industries such as mining and manufacturing. Industrial enterprises in the Pripyat basin are located in cities and urban-type settlements. Since the very first years of its existence, OAO “Belaruskali” has gained international fame. Because of the flat area and possible flooding, the construction of hydropower stations in the Pripyat River basin becomes challenging. In 2007, a technical-economic justification for the construction of five small hydropower plants on the Dnieper-Bug Canal was developed. They are “Kachanovichi”, “Stakhovo”, “Zaluzie”, “Novosady” and “Kobryn”. The regional power station “Byaroza” is the largest power plant in the west of the Republic of Belarus. Its installed capacity allows it to provide electricity for the entire western region.Its installed capacity is 1255.12 MW. It is one of the largest condensing power plants of the power system of the Republic of Belarus. It is designed to cover the loads of the power system, located near Brest on the shores of Lake Beloe, which serves as a source of technical water supply for the power plant and the lake as a circulating water cooler. Within the territory of Belarus passes the section of the international waterway E-40, which connects the Black and Baltic Seas (the Visla River from Gdansk to Warsaw - Brest – Pinsk - the Dnieper River through Kiev to Kherson). Along the entire length from Pinsk to Mazyr, the Pripyat River is navigable and represents the main part of the Dnieper-Bug waterway. The Dnieper-Bug Channel (hereinafter DBC), built in 1848, with a set of hydraulic structures, connects the rivers Pripyat and the Western Bug and runs along the southern part of the territory of the Brest region. There is a branch of the Republi- can Unitary Enterprise “Belarusian River Shipping Company “Mazyr River Port” on the Pripyat River.At 405 km of the Pripyat River, there is the Sitnitsky (Mikashevichsky) channel of 7 kilometres, guiding to the branch of the Republican Branch of Belarusian River Shipping Company “Mikashevichi River Port”. In the unified transport system, pipeline transport in Belarus is represented by four main pipelines, one of which is partially located in the Pripyat basin - the Druzhba “Unecha-Mazyr-Brody” oil pipeline is a main oil pipeline transporting Belarusian oil as well as transit of Russian and Kazakh oil to the countries of Central Europe and to Ukraine.

2. Pressures and impacts of human activities on water resources

In total, according to the statistical reporting of water use for 2018, 596 water users are located in the Pripyat basin in the framework of the State Water Cadastre in the territory of Belarus. 91 water users have wastewater discharges. The number of wastewater discharges into natural water bodies is 194. Among all water users having wastewater discharges into natural water bodies, 21 enterprises con- tribute more than 95% of the total volume of wastewater discharged into the basin, including the following water users. 26 sections of watercourses and 1 reservoir are affected by the most significant impact of point sources. A significant number of pollutants flow into the water bodies of the Pripyat River basin with surface wastewater from the territories of settlements within the basin. The challenge is the lack of biological treatment plants in many urban-type settlements. Problematic are the wastewater of the meat and dairy industry, discharged without treatment to the public canalization and to the filtration fields. In total, there are 421 treatment facilities in the Pripyat basin with anestimated power of 267.3 million m3 per year, providing for the discharge of wastewater into the environment with a load of up to 38% (according to data for 2018). Among them 34 use biological treatment, 29 -mechanical treatment, 27 - physico-chemical treatment, 270 use filtration fields, 61 have runoff water system. Dispersed (diffuse) pollution is caused by the inflow of pollutants into water course from sources distri- buted in the catchment area and without organized wastewater discharges. According to the provided assessment, the total contribution of point sources of pollution in the Pripyat basin is up to 28% of the total volume of pollutants. The remaining 72% are dispersed (diffuse) sources of pollution and the background content of pollutants in surface water bodies, due to natural factors. The structure of water use in the Pripyat River Basin does not radically differ from the overall structure of water use in the country. A specific feature of the basin is the inflow of extra volumes of water due to the drainage of water from the Pripyat River to the territory of Ukraine into the Dnieper-Bug Channel through the Beloozersk water supply system for water delivery to the channel and maintenance of navigability. Water is discharged through the Vyzhevsk water outlet of the Upper Pripyat waterworks facility (Vygevsky floodgate), which is located in Ukraine near the settlement Pochapy. The distribu- tionorder of runoff of the Upper Pripyat (Belarus-Ukraine) was approved in 2010 at the inter-state level. This order is based on the optimization of runoff distribution management while preserving the ecological runoff in the Pripyat River. The Pripyat basin region within the territory of Belarus is industrially and agriculturally developed. Therefore, the influence of surface and groundwater resources on social development and the main sectors of the economy is significant. According to the data of the Research and Production Center for biological resources, there are 63 species of fish in Belarus. And more than 40 of them belong to the aboriginal species (originally living within this area). Among them roach, perch, bream, pike, tench, crucian carp and others are occurring. However, in recent years, the number of foreign (invasive) fish in the rivers and reservoirs in Belarus has significantly increased. Only in two years in the country five new species of fish have been identified, including tube-nosed goby, Ukrainian small stickleback, white-finned gudgeon, and golden mud- fish. In addition, such foreign species as silver carp and Amur sleeper are widespread in Belarus. They adapt well to the conditions of the rivers and reservoirs of the republic, quickly multiply and constitute a serious competition to representatives of the indigenous fish fauna of the republic. To a large extent, the climate warming contributes to the spread of invasive fish species throughout Belarus. To make a conclusion about the impact of the foreign species of flora and fauna on the ecological state of the Pripyat river basin is problematic because of the lack of relevant information. Such economic branches as forestry, hydropower, tourism, transport including water and the road network, main oil pipelines and product pipelines, as well as recreational use of water bodies (alt-

5 hough there are significant excess recreational loads within a number of active recreation areas) do not have a significant impact on the ecological state of water bodies in the Pripyat river basin. The primary environmental problems in the Pripyat river basin Pollution of surface and groundwater bodies from point and dispersed (diffuse) sources. Water quality in the Pripyat river basin is developed under the influence of both natural and anthropogenic factors. In natural terms, the conditions for the formation of river waters are associated with wetlands and groundwater. It is the Polesye bogs that bring to the rivers of the Pripyat basin an increased amount of colored organic substances, a significant amount of humic acids and metals, such as iron. This leads to a general deterioration of the quality of river waters in the basin, which makes them less suitable for drinking water supply. Among the main pollutants, agricultural activity and, in particular, discharges from large livestock farms, as well as storage and use of agricultural chemicals, can be distinguished. In some cases, water quality has deteriorated due to the construction of drainage systems on wetlands. Cities make their “contribution” to river water pollution, primarily due to discharges of insufficiently treated municipal and industrial wastewater. Livestock farming on an industrial scale will imminently lead to a change in landscape, soil degradation, loss of recreational sites and high costs for purifying drinking water in settlements close to farms. Significant changes in the hydrological regime due to hazardous hydro-meteorological events leading to floods and droughts Floods in the Pripyat river basin, caused by spring floods and rain floods, lead to significant damages due to flooding of the territories and are one of the main threats to environmental safety in the basin. The Pripyat river and its tributaries are characterized by an unfavorable hydrological regime. Over the past 60 years in the Polessye region, 13 serious flooding have occurred, resulting in significant damage. It is necessary to realize that floods in the Pripyat river basin (floods and high water) are natural, recur- ring processes. Therefore, the main way to resolve this problem is to increase the efficiency of flood management in the Pripyat basin and the need to manage water resources at the basin level. The problem of climate change in the Republic of Belarus is one of the priority areas of research at the state level. The completed estimation climate change and run-off changes in the Pripyat basin for the period up to 2035 allows for the conclusion about the expected decrease in runoff in the Pripyat basin in all periods of the year with a maximum value in the summer period (up to 40% for individual tributaries). Very dry periods as a result of droughts lead to significant negative changes in the hydrological regime of water bodies and the hydrogeological regime of adjacent territories, deterioration of water quality characteristics, difficulties and even the impossibility of navigation. The most significant negative impacts of dry periods on the hydrological regime of the Uborot river and Chervonoe lake, for which separate measures have been developed to improve it. Changes in ecosystems and the need to preserve landscape and biological diversity. The preservation of biological diversity in the Pripyat river basin is of great international importance. As a result of irrigation and drainage works related to land drainage and peat extraction, about half of the wetlands were lost, which brought some species of flora and fauna to the brink of extinction, including rare species such as turret warbler, dupel, great spotted eagle, etc. The problem of the loss of floodplain territories due to their collapse with dams, which threatens the state of ecosystems. This leads to a disruption of the hydrological, hydrochemical and hydro-biological regime of floodplains, which negatively affects biodiversity. There is a problem of using reclaimed (especially over-drained) lands, where in many cases the upper fertile soil layer is lost. In the result, processes of “sanding” the territories that are being withdrawn from agricultural circulation are observed. The total area of drained lands in the basin is 22% of its entire territory. And the total area of drained bogs is even higher - 64% of the total area of bogs before the beginning of drainage reclamation in the early 50s of the last century. On the one hand, this led to an increase in agricultural lands suitable for agricultural use, and on the other hand, to the destruction of wetlands.

An important point which is affecting the change in ecosystems in the basin is peat extraction. The environmental impact of peat extraction is so great that in many countries of the world its large-scale removal is interrupted. An important environmental problem in the basin is a large number of peat fires. The main reason for their occurrence is the artificial drainage of peat deposits, which often leads to its spontaneous com- bustion. Such fires cause significant damage to vegetation, farm and collective farm lands, pollute the air and river systems. Insufficient provision of the population with centralized water supply and sanitation systems, especially in rural areas. The level of centralized water supply, especially for the rural population, in the Pripyat river basin is insufficient. The proportion of non-centralized drinking-water supply sources (usually mine wells) according to the data of the State Sanitary Inspection, which does not meet sanitary standards, in 2017 amounted to 1.6% in the Brest region, 34.4% in the Gomel region, 17.1% in the Minsk region, 16.5% in the Mogilev region. The main problem of providing water of the required quality in rural areas is water treatment. Radioactive contamination caused by the Chernobyl accident remains an important issue As a result of the release of radioactive substances, the flora and fauna of Polesye, forests and swamps have been affected. The danger of the spread of radionuclides through the aquatic environment was of particular concern. At present, the probability of radioactive contamination of drinking water in the areas of resettlement creates no concern. Advantages and possible problems concerned with the possible prospective use of water resources of the Pripyat river basin regarding prospect for water transport use of the Dnieper- Bug Canal and the Pripyat River Among the inland waterways of Belarus, the Pripyat River is considered a priority for ensuring favorable conditions for navigation, since it is of international importance, acting as an integral part of the waterway E-40. Along with the positive factors of using the waterway E-40 during the implementation of hydraulic works on the Pripyat River to bring it in compliance with the IV class of inland waterways, there are threats caused by the following problems: The problem of stimulation of channel processes under the influence of hydraulic engineering construction in Pripyat due to the absolute predominance of loose fine-grained sand in the composition of channel deposits, which will lead to a change in the speed regime of the river, as well as the regime of movement of the material for processing the channel and coastal slopes. These processes will lead to the transformation of historically developed riverbed and coastal processes, as well as to a possible change in the fishery characteristics of the river. The problem of harmonious coexistence of inland waterways and specially protected natural areas. Pripyat Polesye, on the territory of which the waterway E-40 passes, has significant natural resources of the animal and plant world. About 60 species of animals, 260 species of birds, 20 species of am- phibians and reptiles, 54 species of fish inhabit within its territory. About 70 species are included in the Red Book of the Republic of Belarus and/or are protected in accordance with international obligations. Special protected areas of Pripyat Polesye play an important role in preserving the biological diversity of Europe and the world. The Srednyaya Pripyat Nature Reserve, directly adjacent to the E-40, is a Ramsar territory - a wetland of international importance. Together with the Pripyatsky National Park, the reserve “Srednyaya Pripyat” has the status of a territory important for the protection of birds. The Polesye State Radiation and Ecological Reserve has the same status, which, in accordance with ap- plicable law, does not apply to specially protected natural areas. In addition, Pripyatsky National Park has the status of a key botanical territory - a territory characterized by exceptional botanical wealth. Due to the significant environmental impact of hydraulic works on the Pripyat River, bringing it in compliance with class IV of inland waterways after developing a project for these works, it is necessary to go through all the mechanisms and procedures of the state environmental inspection, including environmental impact assessment (EIA).

3. Protected areas

Protected natural territories The Pripyat River basin is unique in Europe in terms of biological diversity. Polesye swamps are called the "lungs of Europe" for a reason. Many Red Book species of flora and fauna live in the river basin, including species such as bittern, black stork, aquatic warbler, avocet, stilt, marsh turtle, rare bat “giant noctule”. At the present time the area of the natural-reserved fund in the Belarusian Polesye is 7.8%. The area of reserves is about 297.2 thousand hectares (figure 2). The area of reserved forests is 187.3 thousand hectares. The total reserved and forbid area is 484.5 thousand hectares or 8.03% of the region's area (including the reserved area of 4.93%). Local reserved forests occupy 0.9% and are represented by 6 hydrological, 30 biological types. Republican reserved forests are represented by 4 landscape, 2 hydrological, 19 biological types. Nain of them are State National Park “Pripyat” (in the place of the former Landscape and Hydrological Reserve “Pripyat”), the Polesye State Radiation and Ecological Reserve, The republican landscape reserve “Srednaya Pripyat”, The republican landscape reserve “Olmansky swamps”, The republican Biological Reserve “Zvanets” and the republican hydrological reserve “Vygonoschi” functioning in the Pripyat river basin.

Figure 2 – Protected areas of the Pripyat river basin

In order to achieve the goals of the Berne Convention, a program is being implemented on the territory of the European Union to create an ecological network of natural territories that are important for the conservation of species of wild fauna and flora and natural habitats that fall under the scope of the Convention - "Natura - 2000". To implement environmental standards used in the Natura 2000 network, outside the European Union in 1998, the Council of Europe launched "the Emerald Network" program.

"The Emerald Network" is a list of natural territories that are valuable for the conservation of the species specified in the Berne Convention and which are a continuation of the Natura 2000 network in countries outside the European Union. Adopted Emeraqld network sites in the Pripyat river basin includes the next 32 natural protected areas: Belovezhskaya Pushcha (east-southern part), Syalets, Khavanschyna, Sporovsly, Zvanets, Radostovskiy, Vygonoshanskoye, Yelovskiy, Vieluta, Luninskiy, Prostyr, Tyrvonichy, Morochna Swamp, Chyrvonaye, Bielaya Fish Farm, Srednaya Pripyat, Lva Floodplain, Olmanskiye Bolota, Topila Bog, Turovskiy Lug, Stary Zhadzien, Pripyatsky, Strelsky, Staraya Vits, Lower Pripyat, Ptich-river Valley, Omelnyansky, Manchitsy, Bytenskiy, Omgovichskiy, Falishsky Moch. Lower Pripyat Valley territory is candidate site to the Emerald network. Protective sanitary zones of drinking water supply sources Protective sanitary zones (PSZ) of water supply sources and domestic water supply pipelines in Bela- rus are established in accordance with the Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Drinking Water Supply” and sanitary rules and norms of SanPiN of December 30, 2016 No.142 “Sanitary standards and rules “Requirements for an organization of protective sanitary zones sources and centralized drinking water supply systems”. The PSZs are organized as part of the three areas. The first area (of s strict regime) includes the territory of water intakes’ location, sites for the location of all waterworks and water supply channel. The second and third areas (restriction areas) include the territory used for the prevention of water pollution from water supply sources. Sanitary protection of waterway is provided with a sanitary protection strip. In each of the three areas, as well as within the sanitary protection strip, according to their purpose, a special regime is established and a set of measures is determined to prevent the deterioration of water quality. Economically significant species Economically important fish species in the Pripyat river basin are produced at specialized fisher-ies enterprises (experimental fish farms). The most important of which are “Selets” (Berezovsky district), “Loktyshi” (Gantsevichi district), “Lakhva” (Luninetsky district), “Polesye” (Pinsk district), “Beloe” (Zhitkovichi district), “Tremlya” (Petrikovsky district), "Krasnaya Sloboda" (Salihorsky district). There are no special protected areas within the water bodies sites associated with permanent restrictions on amateur fishing because of the presence in these water bodies of eco-nomically significant fish species and (or) unique mollusks. Bathing waters In the Pripyat River basin, water bodies create favorable conditions for recreation, sports and tourism. In the Pripyat river basin, there are 96 recreational areas used for bathing in accordance with the deci- sions of local executive and administrative bodies based on the results of a positive state sanitary and hygienic examination. 96 recreational areas are located on 76 surface water bodies, which include 43 sections (water bodies) of the Pripyat River basin. Water safety should be carried out by state sanitary supervision and production control. Vulnerable zones The geological conditions within the territory of the Pripyat river basin is characterizing by the rocks that overlap the aquifers from the surface and are highly permeable. On the one hand, this favors the formation of significant fresh groundwater resources, but on the other hand, it determines their very poor natural protection against pollution. Up to 35% of the basin’s territory is at risk of groundwater nitrate pollution and are nitrate-sensitive zones. And only less than 2% of the basin’s territory can not be assigned to them. These are sections of the catchment area of the Pripyat, Pina, Yaselda, Tsna, Lan, Nacha and Sluch, Oressa and Ipa. The most part of the wells that the vast majority of the rural population continues to use in the Pripyat basin have water that does not meet sanitary standards for nitrates. Concentrations of this component often reach 7–11 MPC. The all-time record for Belarus was recorded in one of the wells in the Soli- gorsk region - 2429 mg/l, or 54 times higher than the allowable level (information of the Institute of Geological Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus and RUE "Belgeologiya"). So far, no specific regulation is based on this zoning in Belarus. 9

4. Water bodies status and risk analysis

Surface water The State Hydrometeorological Service of the Republic of Belarus, conducting the hydrometeorological safety of the country, provides the up-to-date obtaining of reliable and comprehensive information, forecast and warning about dangerous hydrometeorological phenomena. Hydrological observations in the Pripyat river basin are carried out for elements of the hydrological regime at 28 watercourse posts (rivers and channels) and at 4 posts on the lakes and reservoirs. Monitoring of the state of surface waters in the Pripyat River basin according to hydrochemical and hydrobiological indicators is carried out at 45 observation points of the National Environmental Monito- ring System (NEMS), including 8 transboundary observation points and 2 background observation points. 20 watercourses in 27 sitesare covered by regular observations. The frequency of observations on hydrochemical indicators at large watercourses and at sites of watercourses in the area of the location of pollution sources is 1 time per month annually.In the caseof the absence of pollution sources the frequency of observations is 7 times a year during periods of the main hydrological phases annually. In the background sections of watercourses the observations are carried out monthly with a cycle of 1 time in 2 years. The observations on water bodies are held quarterly with a cycle of 1 time in 2 years. The frequency of observations on hydrobiological indicators on all surface water bodies is carried out in the vegetative season with a frequency of once every 2 years. In the vegetative season the observations on transboundary river sections are conducted every year. The frequency of observations on hydromorphological indicators is 1 time in 10 years during the period of hydrobiological observations. Proposals for optimizing the surface water observation network Proposed additional observation points for monitoring: - watercourses: Narovlyanka (Narovlya); Plessa (Bezdezh); Ptich (Ozertso); Shat (Shatsk): Ptich (Pravdinskiy); Pripyat (above Pietrikaw); Pripyat (above Pietrikaw); Yaselda (Senin); Pripyat (Khoino); Prostyr (Pare); - lakes: Gorodischenskoe (Gorodische); Sergeevichskoe (Sergeevichi); Sporovskoe (Zditovo); Beloe (Svaryn). Groundwater Groundwater quantitative and chemical monitoring in the Pripyat River Basin is conducted on the basis of different laws, codes and regulations in the field of environmental protection. Therein the responsible organisations, the list of observation points and the quality standards are given. The "Instruction on the procedure for groundwater monitoring" determines the frequency of the groundwater level regime with three times per month, and of the groundwater quality with once per year and it determines the list of micro and macro components to be monitored. In Belarus groundwater monitoring has been carried out since the 1960s, when the focus was mainly at the effects of the reclamation of wetlands on groundwater quantity. In the 1970s–80s, human activities caused changes in the quality of groundwater which required the consideration of quality aspects in groundwater monitoring. At present, groundwater quantitative and chemical monitoring within the territory of the Pripyat river basin is conducted at 25 hydrogeological posts representing the natural groundwater regime (with 76 wells), at 37 water intakes representing the disturbed groundwater regime (with 81 wells) and at 42 objects of local groundwater monitoring representing point sources of pollution. Groundwater quantity monitoring is conducted at almost all observation points at a monitoring frequency of three times a month. Groundwater chemical monitoring is to be performed once per year for a list of parameters/indicators but due to lack of budget funding it is not conducted at all observation wells. For example, in 2016, chemical monitoring was conducted at 57 wells in natural regime and in 2018 at 10 wells (out of 76 wells).

An review of groundwater monitoring in 2018 identified several proposals for improvement to the groundwater monitoring design. In particular, the groundwater monitoring network covers only eight of in total eleven groundwater bodies (GWBs) in the Pripyat river basin and in some GWBs the existing monitoring network needs extension. It was proposed to drill 14 new monitoring wells in four GWBs. The one-time investment costs for the establishment of 14 new monitoring sites including the equipment with automatic level gauges was estimated with approximately 60,000 EUR. The permanent chemical monitoring costs for a management plan period of 5 years consideres the annual chemical monitoring of 83 monitoring wells and comprises the annual inspection costs (20 EUR), the pumping costs (10 EUR), the chemical analysis for surveillance monitoring (1 x 130 EUR) and the costs for the operational monitoring (4 x 70 EUR) which is performed in between the surveillance monitoring for all monitoring wells. The total chemical monitoring costs for the whole plan period of 5 years are estimated with approximately 50,000 EUR for the Pripyat river basin. It has to be considered that the estimation of the monitoring costs do not cover the laboratory costs for those substances which are causing a GWB at risk of failing good chemical status and which go beyond the list of parameters already covered by operational monitoring. In addition to the permanent costs of monitoring there is a need for field measurement equipment (pump, power generator, multimeter etc) which represents one-time investment costs of approximately 10,000 EUR. In addition to the improvement of the monitoring network, the equipment and the regular monitoring, it is proposed to improve obtaining primary information from water users, to improve the storage of data in one organization and one database, to perform an inventory of single wells and to equip more observation wells with automatic data recording devices. Water bodies status In 2018, the results of surface water monitoring in the Pripyat basin made it possible to assign a class of ecological state (status) to water bodies in 8 of 42 observation points of the NEMS: good ecological state (status)in 5 points, satisfactory state (status) in 3 points (the Pripyat river - Dovlyady, the Ubort river - Milashevichi, the Stviga river - Dzerzhinsk). As a result of observations on the hydrochemical indicators of groundwater in 2018, it was established that, in general, the physicochemical composition of the tested groundwater and artesian waters in terms of the content of the main physicochemical parameters in them corresponds to the established water quality requirements. The exception is local areas where excesses of maximum permissible concentration for nitrogen-containing compounds, silicon oxide, permanganate oxidation, organoleptic properties are revealed. In addition, almost everywhere there is an increased content of iron. As a result of observations on hydrogeological indicators in 2018, it was established that fluctuations in pressure water levels practically repeat fluctuations in groundwater levels, which confirms a good hydraulic relationship between aquifers and the waters of surface watercourses and reservoirs. Based on an analysis of seasonal changes in groundwater levels, it was established that in 2018 in the Pripyat basin a general decline in both groundwater and artesian water levels was observed, while the average decrease in groundwater levels was 0.6 m for groundwater and 0.69 m for artesian waters. Ac- cording to chemical composition, artesian waters of the Pipyat river basin, are mainly magnesium bicarbonate and calcium bicarbonate. Risk analysis The assessment of water bodies at risk and under possible at risk was carried out separately in the following areas: - for water bodies affected by point sources of pollution - by comparison of the measured or calculat- ed (in the absence of measurements) concentration in a water body in the zone of guaranteed mix- ing of river and wastewater with surface water quality classes according to hydrochemical indicators;

- for water bodies affected by diffuse pollution sources - according to the assessment of possible nutrient loads from the territory of catchment area depending on land use, terrain and water content of the water body; - by comparing the quality classes by hydrobiological indicators, hydrochemical indicators, the degree of change of hydromorphological indicators and the final environmental status with the established ranges of these indicators and environmental status. The final assessment of water bodies at risk and under possible at risk is carried out depending on the combination of estimates obtained in the above areas (figure 3). Based on the complete risk assessment “the risk of not achieving a good ecological state (status)” based on monitoring data from surface waters 2015-2018 includes the following 4 sites of water bodies of the Pripyat River basin: the Yaselda River – below the city of Bereza; the Goryn River – Rechitsa; the Moroch River – Yaskovichy; the Pripyat River – Bol’shie Dikovichy. The category “possibly at risk of not achieving a good ecological state (status)” on the basis of surface water monitoring data for 2015-2018 includes the following 9 sites of water bodies of the Pripyat river basin: the Pripyat River–above the city of Pinsk; the Ubort River – Krasnoberezhie; Lake Chervonoe – Pykhovichy; the Dokolka River – Boyanovo; the Pripyat River – Dovlyady; the Styr River – Ladorozh; the Ubort River – Milashevichy; the Stviga River – Dzerzhinsk; the L’va River – Olmanskaya Koshara. Among 636 identified watercourses in the Pripyat river basin in Belarus: – 24 water bodies are at possible risk; – 17 water bodies are at risk; – for 595 water bodies there is no risk. Among 79 identified water bodies in the Pripyat River basin in Belarus:  2 water bodies are at possible risk (Lake Chervonoe and Bereza reservoir);  for 77 water bodies there is no risk.

Figure 3 – Surface bodies risk assessment in the Pripyat river bason

5. Environmental objectives

Taking into account the requirements of the Water Framework Directive, as well as the approved national indicators, the main environmental goals for water bodies in the Pripyat basin are based on the achievement of:  good ecological state (status) of surface water bodies;;  good ecological potential of heavily modified surface water bodies (HMWB) and artificial water bodies (AWB);  good quantitative and chemical status of groundwater bodies. Ecological goals for water use until 2030: - the intensity of use of fresh water reserves (water stress) should not exceed 10% (weak water stress); - prevention of the discharge of insufficiently treated wastewater into surface water bodies. Environemental objectives for protected areas: until 2024:  sanitary protection zones are used for all water intakes with a volume of more than 5 m3/day, including water intakes that are not part of the centralized water supply network (CWSN);  the quality of 75% of the drinking water withdrawn with a sampling of more than 5 m3/day is monitored at least once a year, including water intakes not included in the central water supply network; until 2030:  the quality of 100% of the drinking water withdrawn with a sampling of more than 5 m3/day is monitored at least once a year, including water intakes not included in the CWSN;  good quantitative and chemical status of all drinking water with a fence of more than 5 m3/day, including water intakes that are not included in the CWSN. Ecological goals for water bodies vulnerable to nitrate pollution: possible goals until 2025  identification of vulnerable areas with respect to nitrate contamination;  a monitoring program for nitrates (surface and groundwater) is being implemented. possible goals until 2030:  90% of water bodies used as sources of centralized drinking water supply meet the requirements of the national legislation on the content of nitrates in drinking water [27]. Ecological goals until 2030 for water bodies used for recreation (bathing) are based on the good quality of all facilities. Water-related objectives related to the Suistanable Development Goals (SDGs), Proto- cole for water and health, other International and National strategies and/or policies The Republic of Belarus undertook a number of obligations in order to implement international agree- ments in the field of rational use and protection of water resources: - The Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, concluded in Helsinki on March 17, 1992 (hereinafter referred to as the Water Convention), to which the Republic of Belarus affiliated by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated April 21, 2003 No.161; - The Protocol on Water and Health (hereinafter referred to as the PWH) to the Water Convention, to which the Republic of Belarus affiliated by Decree of the President of the Republic of Belarus dated March 31, 2009 No.159; - The Agenda for Sustainable Development for the period 2016-2030, adopted by the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2015 (hereinafter - the 2030 Agenda), and approved by UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/70/1 on September 25, 2015.

6. Ecomonic analysis

Water use in Belarus is paid, apart from general water use, the use of water bodies for emergency response and (or) their consequences, the use of surface water bodies for navigation needs. General water use conditions at water bodies (restrictions) are brought to the attention of interested parties by local executive and administrative bodies by publishing this information in the media and posting on their official websites. In the Republic of Belarus in the Pripyat river basin, the following types of water use can be distinguished: drinking water supply; industrial; agricultural; energy; health (medical, resort, health service); fire-fighting; navigational (inland water transport); recreational; other. According to Article 35 of Water Code of the Republic of Belarus payments related to water use are charged in the form of tax or rent. The Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus (Particular Conditions) with the latest amendments dated December 30, 2018 No.159-З (hereinafter - the Tax Code) establishes a system of taxes for the use of natural resources, including for the use of water bodies including environmental tax and tax for the abstractions of natural resources. The total amount of payments received in the Pripyat river basin in 2018 amounted to 2,9 mln belarus- sian rubles. At the same time, 46% of the total amount of received payments falls on enterprises of the Mozyr district of the Gomel region. This is due to the fact that the largest oil refinery OJSC Mozyr Oil Refinery is located in this region, which in turn is the main payer of the environmental tax, tax on the withdrawal of water resources, as well as payments for water supply and sanitation in the Pripyat river basin. According to the available data of the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus, the volume of foreign investment received in the real sector of the economy of the Republic of Belarus in 2018 amounted to 10,8 billion dollars USA, which is 40% more than this figure 10 years ago. At the same time, investments in fixed assets amounted to 25 billion Belarusian rubles. The largest percentage of investments (25%) accounts for industry, which also confirms the priority of this type of economic activity. Agriculture in the Republic of Belarus is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. It accounts for 11.2% of all investments in fixed capital. The Republic of Belarus is interested in further modernization of the industry, including through foreign investment. The volume of industrial production in the territory of the Pripyat River basin in 2018 amounted to 42.03 billion rubles (42030.0 million rubles). The net profit of medium organizations by type of economic activity in 2018 in the territory of the Pri- pyat river basin amounted to: industry – 76.4 million rubles; agriculture (including fish farming) – 77,4 million rubles. In 2018 г., the volume of total environmental protection costs in the territory of the Pripyat Riv- er basin amounted to total 287.60 million rubles, including: 1. the volume of investments in fixed capital for the environmental protection – 39.4 million rubles: - collection and treatment of wastewater – 9.9 million rubles; - protection and rehabilitation of land, surface and groundwater – 5.8 million rubles; - environmental protection (non-water resources related) – 23.7 million rubles 2. the volume of the current environmental protection running costs – 248.2 million rubles): - collection and treatment of wastewater – 116.4 million rubles; - protection and rehabilitation of land, surface and groundwater – 4.4 million rubles; - environmental protection (non-water resources related) – 127.4 million rubles. Thus, in 2018, the current environmental costs (excluding investments) amounted to 248.2 million rubles. The largest contribution to this amount is made by the costs of the industrial sector of the economy (50% of the total current costs), as well as the housing and utilities sector (45% of the total current costs), which is also explained by the priority of the corresponding types of water use in the Pripyat river basin. Starting from 2018, when calculating the volume of total environmental protection running cost, data on current environmental protection running cost are used without value added tax, as well as depreciation charges on fixed assets intended for environmental protection.

7. Programme of measures a. Type of measures Principles of measures (main strategic directions of measures for the main problems in the Pripyat basin) proposed for: - Reduction of the pollution of surface and groundwater bodies from point and diffuse sources; - Reduction of the negative consequences of significant changes in the hydrological regime due to hazardous hydrometeorological events leading to floods and droughts; - Improvement of provision of the population with centralized water supply and sanitation systems, especially in rural areas; - Decrease negative changes in ecosystems and conservation landscape and biological diversity. Supplementary measures aimed at improving the environmental state (status) of surface water bodies (their parts) in the Pripyat river basin (measures per main issue) – (2020-2030) In total, according to this Pripyat River Basin Management Plan, 44 measures were proposed, of which 40 are main measures, 4 are additional. 39 measures directly aimed at improving the environmental status of surface water bodies in accordance with the EU Water Framework Directive. 5 measures relate to measures that reduce the negative effects of hazardous hydro-meteorological phenomena (floods and droughts), which are not related to WFD. Their list also includes the activities of the State program “Engineering water management measures to protect settlements and agricultural lands from floods in the most flood-hazardous areas of Polesye for 2011-2015”, which was not actually implemented during these years. The implementation of the program was subsequently postponed until 2020, and then to 2025. Measures aimed at improving the environmental status of surface water bodies cover 139 water bodies in the Pripyat River basin, which makes up about 20% of all allocated surface water bodies. 1. Institutional measures 1.1 Support for the functioning of the Pripyat River basin council 1.2 Assessment of means to improve surface water monitoring in terms of approaching to EU practice in organizing and conducting surveillance, operati-onal and research monitoring. 2. Development of surface and groundwater monitoring systems 2.1 Development of an observing program for the hydrological regime and hydromorphological changes in surface water bodies at 19 observation points: the Pripyat river – the Narovlya city, Dovlyady settlement; the Bobrik river – Lunin settlement; the Do- kolka river – Boyanovo settlement; the Ipa river – Krotov settlement; the Moroch river - Yaskovichi settlement, the Oressa river – Andreevka settlement; the Ptich river – Luchitsy settlement; the Svino- vod river – Simonovichi settlement; the Sluch river – Lenin settlement; the Ubort river - Kras- noberezhie settlement; the Tsna river – Dyatlovichi settlement; the Cherten river – Makhnovichi settlement; the Yaselda river – the Bereza river, Senin settlement; Lake Beloe (Bereza district); Lake Vy- gonoshanskoye (Ivatsevichi district); Lake Beloe (Luninitsy district); Lake Chervonoe (Zhitkovichi district). 2.2 Development of an observation program for hydrobiological and hydrochemical indicators of surface water bodies for the purpose of surveillance monitoring at 14 observation points: the Narovlyanka river - the Narovlya city; the Plessa river - Bezdezh settlement; the Ptich river – O- zerzo settlement, Pravdinsky settlement; the Shat river - Shatsk settlement; the Pripyat river - above Petrikov, below Petrikov, Khoyno settlement; the Yaselda river – Senin settlement; the Prostyr river – Pare settlement; Lake Gorodishchenskoye (Pinsk district); Lake Sergeevichskoe (Pukhovichsky district); Lake Sporovskoe (Bereza district); Lake Beloe (Drogichin district)

2.3 Development of an observation program for hydrobiological and hydrochemical indicators of surface water bodies for operational monitoring at 11 observation points: the Ptich river – below the Glusk city; the Sluch river – below the Slutsk city; the Tsna river – below the Gantsevichi city; the Naut‘ river – below the Zhitkovichi city; Luninetski channel – below the Luni- nets city; the Lyakhovichsky channel – Lyakhovichi settlement; the Tsepra river - below the Kletsk city; the Mazha river - below the Kopyl city; the Solyanka river - below the Starye dorohi settlement; Sere- bronskaya channel – below the Oktyabrski settlement; the Struga channel – Suhoe settlement 2.4 Optimization (expansion) of the list of enterprises (OJSC Belaruskali, the Petrikov city, etc.) included in the local monitoring system with the aim of conducting regular observations on wastewater discharges to surface water bodies and at facilities impacting groundwater as appropriate in accordance with the law 2.5 Development of a groundwater monitoring system with the aim of placement of new monitoring points, organizing observational and operational monitoring, monitoring the protection of drinking water zones, preventive and restrictive monitoring and research monitoring. Supplying monitoring points with autonomous automatic detectors of water level and temperature (level gauge), purchasing equipment for sampling and for field measurements. 3. Reduction of impact on water objects from housing and communal services 3.1 Reconstruction of waste treatment facilities in Slutsk (CUE Slutsk Housing and Communal Ser- vices), Soligorsk (CUE Soligorskvodokanal), Kopyl (RCUE Kopyl Housing and Communal Services), Pinsk (CPUE Pinskvodokanal), Bereza (SUPE “Bereza Housing and communal services”), Luninets (Luninets CUE “Vodokanal”), Ivanovo (CUMPE Housing and Communal services "Ivanovo Housing and Communal services"), Drogichin (CUMPE Housing and Communal services "Drogichin Housing and Communal Services"), Lyuban (RUE "Lyubans Housing and Communal services"), Zhitkovichi (CUE "Zhitkovichi communal"), institutions “Makanovichi psychoneurological care home for the elderly and disabled people with speech” (unsatisfactory condition of treatment facilities due to their long-term operation and significant deterioration of equipment), Kletsk (RCUE “Kletsk Housing and Communal services”), as well as Telekhany settlement (branch "Telekhansky" SUPE "Ivatsevichsi Housing and Communal services"), Stolin (CUMPE "Stolin Housing and Communal services"), Khotlyany settlement (RUE “Uzda Housing and Public Utilities”) 3.2 Relevant reconstruction and ensuring trouble-free performance of networks and sewage systems of communal enterprises (CHUE Mozyr Rayzhilkomkhoz, CUE Zhitkovichi Communal, CPUE Kalinko- vichski Communal, CUE Petrikov Rayzhilcomkhoz, etc.) 3.3 Expansion of sewerage networks and facilities with an increase in the building area with a centralized sewerage system in Kletsk (south-eastern urban district - Slutskaya Street, Zagorodnaya Street, Usadebnaya Street, Novoselov Street, Yanovichskaya Street, Vysokaya Street), Yelsk, Narovlya, Zhit- kovichi, Khoinikov, Bragin, Petrikov, Kalinkovichi, Korma, Lelchitsy, Mozyr 3.4 Construction of a sewer collector under the Sewing Pumping Station No.7 of Glusk 3.5 Construction of waste treatment facilities at the outlets of rain sewage (surface wastewater) from urbanized areas - Beloozersk, Bereza, Drogichin, Ivanovo, Luninets, Mozyr, Pinsk, Stolin, Petrikov, Kalinkovichi 3.6 Output to the design parameters of the treatment facilities of CUE Petrikov Rayzhilkomkhoz and ensuring compliance with the established standards for phosphate ion 3.7 Reduction of technological expenses and water losses in public water supply systems and decrease in infiltration inflow into sewage systems (CUE “Slutsk Housing and Public Services”, CUE “Soligorskvodokanal”, RUE “Lyuban Housing and Public Services, RCUE“ Kopyl Housing and Public Services”) by at least 30% and maintaining them at a level of not more than 12% of water consumption (CPUE Gomelvodokanal Communal Unitary Enterprise, CHUE Mozyr Rayzhilkomkhoz, CHUE Khoy- niki Communal, CUE Zhitkovichi Communal, CUE Petrikov Rayzhilkomkhoz, etc.)

4. Reduction of anthropogenic impact on water bodies from industrial production 4.1 Development of individual technological standards for water use: JSC Belaruskali, Soligorsk, RUPE "Granite", Mikashevichi. 4.2 Implementation of the best available technical methods (BATM) at production facilities in industry and in agriculture 4.3 Construction of local waste treatment facilities for the treatment of industrial wastewater at the following enterprises: production branch of OJSC Savushkin Product (Ivanovo), production branch of OJSC Savushkin Product (Pinsk) 4.4 Reconstruction of wastewater treatment facilities at OJSC Oktyabrskyi Plant of Skimmed Milk Pow- der (Oktyabrsky settlement), OJSC Starobinsky Peat Briquette Plant, OJSC Peat Enterprise “Glinka”, OJSC Pinsk Winery. 4.5 Construction of waste treatment facilities for surface wastewater discharged into surface water bodies from industrial sites of enterprises and other facilities (agricultural enterprises, livestock breeding complexes, etc.): OJSC Polesieelectromash in the city of Luninets, Production workshop of Sovushkin Product OJSC in Ivanovo, Ivanovo workshop of OJSC Bereza cheese-making plant of the Ivanovo district , OJSC “Goryn Plant of Construction Materials” of the Stolin District, RAUE “Agro- Lyaskovichi”, OJSC “Slutsk Meat Processing Plant”, OJSC “Belaruskali”, Petrikov 4.6 Development of design documentation and construction of facilities for the treatment and disposal of wastewater sludge: Pinsk - “Modernization of the sewage sludge treatment system (dehydration and subsequent treatment in biogas production plants) at the sewage treatment plant in the city of Pinsk“ Pinskvodokanal” 4.7 Construction and implementation of biogas complexes operating on livestock waste, CJSC “Koby- lovka Biogas” in OJSC “Otechestvo” of the Pruzhany district - with two plants with a total capacity of 2 MW 4.8 Ensuring proper, in accordance with the design documentation, operation of wastewater treatment plants of the starch plant in the village of Khoreva, OJSC Otechestvo 4.9 Reconstruction of the irrigation field system in the Pukhovichi district of the balance participation of the branch of „the Belaya Rus“ pig-breeding complex of OJSC Slutsk „Grain Processing Plant“ 4.10 Research and development of the project TCCP “Environmental protection and nature management. Hydrosphere. Rules for the operation and disposal of filtration fields " 4.11 Decommissioning (and/or disposal) of filtration fields with a daily design capacity of more than 200 m3/day, which have the greatest negative impact on water resources, as well as unused filtration fields (Yelsk village, the city of Petrikov - 2 treatment facilities for natural biological treatment CUE "Petrikov Rayzhilkomkhoz) 4.12 Inventory of existing polder and reclamation systems in the basin, an assessment of the effec- tiveness of their functioning and environmental impact. Development of measures in order to reduce the removal of nutrient pollutants into surface water bodies 4.13 Cleaning the course and the coastal strip of the Pina river in the city of Pinsk, improving of the coastal strip 4.14 Ensuring an optimum water use regime for fish farms (OJSC Practised Fish Farm „Selets“, OJSC Fish Farm „Loktyshi“, OJSC Fish Farm „Krasnaya Sloboda“, OJSC Fish Farm „Polesye“, OJSC Fish Factory Lyuban, OJSC Fish Farm Tremlya, OJSC Practised Fish Farm "Beloe", Branch Practised Fish Farm "Lahva") 5. Land use regulation in water protection zones 5.1 Elaboration of a catalog of water protection territories for the Pripyat river basin 5.2 Update of projects for water protection zones and coastal strips of surface water bodies in the Svisloch district of the Grodno region, the Stolin, Luninets districts of the Brest region (according to the schedule), as well as in the Zhitkovichi, Petrikov, Lelchitsy, Narovlya, Svetlogorsk, Oktyabrsky districts

of the Gomel region and in Glusk, Bobruisk districts of the Mogilev region with the proposal of measures to comply with the regimes of economic activity, including the provision of equipment with wastewater collection and treatment systemsduring the construction of gas stations 5.3 Removal of storage facilities for mineral fertilizers and fuels and lubricants, gas stations and other environmentally hazardous facilities outside water protection zones and coastal strips, as well as outside areas of possible and flooding 5.4 Implementation of the Environmental Remediation Plan of the lake-Swamp complex Bulev Mokh – Chervonoye Lake in the Zhitkovichi district for the period until 2022 from 10.11.2017: - Recovery of water supply to Lake Chervonoye from flooded maps, previously used for peat extraction from the Bulev Mokh deposit; - Regulation of water volumes withdrawn from Lake Chervonoe for the needs of OJSC "Fish Farm" Krasnaya Zorka "with the aim of minimizing them; - Water replenishment in Lake Chervonoye during particularly dry period by organizing the transfer of part of the runoff of the Sluch river through Lake Beloe; - Minimization of the volume of surface runoff from Lake Chervonoye to the Bobrik river with the use of the Ozerny channel; - Regulation of the water disposal process from exploited peat extraction maps of the Bulev Mokh deposit in a particularly high-water period; - Maintaining design parameters during the operation of reclamation systems; - Regulation of the water area changes, taking into account the developed maps of peat extraction; - Prevention of fires on drained lands near Lake Chervonoye, ensuring maintenance of water protection zones and coastal stripes of water bodies in proper condition - Improvement of the ecological state of water resources, compliance with the regime of economic and other activities in the coastal strip and water protection zones of Lake Chervonoe; - Development of the territory adjacent to Lake Chervonoye, distribution of the recreational load on surface water bodies; - Compliance with the requirements of the legislation of the Republic of Belarus on environmental protection, sanitary norms and requirements, legislation on land at facilities and territories that impact on the state of Lake Chervonoe 5.5 Development of public places of recreation on water bodies (96 recreation areas) 5.6 Removal activities of Petrikov disposal of unusable pesticides 5.7 Removal (reclamation) of filtration fields in the Pripyat river basin (11 filtration fields). Brest region:  CUMPE “Stolin House and Communal Services”, Stolin;  CUMPE “Stolin House and Communal Services”, David-Gorodok;  OJSC “Luninets Dairy Plant”, Luninets;  CUMPE“Pinsk Regional House and Communal Services”, Parakhonsk territory.  CUMPE “Pinsk Regional House and Communal Services”, Galevo territory. Gomel region:  CHEUE “Elskoe”, Elsk;  OJSC Kalinkovichi Meat Processing Plant, Kalinkovichi;  CHUE “Mozyr rayzhilkomkhoz”, Krinichny settlement. Minsk region:  OJSC Slutsk Sugar Refinery Combine, Slutsk;  CUE "Housing and communal services of the Minsk region”, Priluky settlement. Mogilev region:  Glusk UCE “Zhilkomkhoz”, Glusk.

5.8 Removal (reclamation) of filtration fields in the Pripyat river basin (2 filtration fields). Brest region – branch "Brodnitsky distillery" of the Ivanovo district of OJSC "Brest distillery" Belalko, Brodnitsa settlement. Minsk region – CUE “Kletsk housing and communal services”, Kletsk.

6. Additional measures 6.1 Participation of the public and NGOs in the preparation and implementation of measures aimed at improving the environmental state (status) of surface water bodies (their parts) in the Pripyat river basin 6.2 Updating the requirements of legislation in the field of environmental protection when restoring the international waterway E40 within the territory of Belarus (Identification of possible environmental limi- tations when restoring the international waterway E40 in Belarus, taking into account the transboundary aspect) 6.3 Inventory of surface water bodies (rivers, lakes, reservoirs, ponds, streams, springs) of the Pripyat river basin in the Brest and Minsk regions (Collection, updating and systematization of cartographic and relevant thematic information on surface water bodies of the Pripyat river basin in the Brest and Minsk regions (watercourses with a catchment area of 30 km2, water bodies with a surface area of 0.5 km2, springs) 5.4 Implementation of measures for the organization of centralized drinking water supply systems in the Kopyl region, taking into account the recommendations of RUE CRI b. Cost

In total, the cost of measures aimed at improving the environmental status of surface water bodies is 354.78 million Euro, including: istitutional measures (support of the Pripyat basin counsyl etc) – 210 thousand Euro; development of surface and groundwater monitoring systems – 3370 thousand Euro; reducing the impact on water bodies from the housing and utilities sector (construction and reconstruction of treatment facilities, water supply and sanitation systems) – 285268 thousand Euro; decreased anthropogenic impact on water bodies from industrial and agricultural production – 59840 thousand Euro; land use regulation in water protection zones, including the elimination (reclamation) of filtration fields - 5672 thousand Euro. In conversion to gross domestic product (GDP) in the Pripyat river basin for 2018 (42030.0 million rubles/16880.0 million Euro) and the terms, mainly in the first five-year period of the implementation of the Pripyat river basin management plan, the cost of activities in 354.77 million Euro can tentatively be no more than 2.1% per year from the GDP created in the Pripyat basin (not more than 70 Euro per year per inhabitant of the basin). The measures cost in order to improve the environmental status of water bodies is comparable to the annual amount of financial resources used in the Pripyat river basin for environmental protection purposes (total environmental protection running costs), which is 287.6 million rubles/115.5 million Euro (according to data for 2018). On an annualized basis, the implementation of the Pripyat River Basin Management Plan measures may require a not very significant increase in established existing financing of environmental protection measures - by 25%. The funding sources for measures are state budget, local budgets, own and borrowed funds of enterprises, government programs, funds of the programs of the World Bank and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). c. Stakeholders to be involved

Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Gomel, Brest and Minsk regional commities of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection were the main staceholders on the stage of Pripyat river basin management plan developing. Other ministries including Minstry of Agriculture and Ministry of Housing and Communal Services and not governmental organization (NGO) were involved also on this stage. Gomel, Brest and Minsk regional executive committees will be the main stakeholders to be involved and responsible for the Pripyat river basin management plan implementation. Some water users affected by measures or (and) responsible for measures also can be involved on this phase also. Some scientific organizations can be involved on this phase including Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources, Istitute of Geology and National Academy of Science. Some NGO can be involved on the Pripyat river basin management plan implementation phase including “ASDEMO”, “Achova ptuchak Batkauchyny”, “Bagna”, “Centre of ecological solution” etc. 19

8. Summary of strategies, programmes, plans and projects

As a Party to the Water Convention, the Republic of Belarus regularly implements the principles of integrated water resources management and the basin management system (creating basin councils and developing RBMPs), and also regularly reports on the implementation of the provisions of the Water Convention in the country. The Pripyat River basin, which is transboundary with Ukraine, is 100% covered by the existing mechanism of transboundary cooperation (Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Belarus and the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine on the joint use and protection of transboundary waters (October 16, 2001). In the framework of PWH activities, the Republic of Belarus in 2013 by the Decree of the Ministry of Health dated December 4, 2013 No.116 established a list of measures and targets for their achievement in 9 of the 20 target areas of the PWH and regularly provides reports on their achievement. In 2019, work was carried out to update the target indicators for the PWH: a list of measures and target indicators for their achievement was developed in 17 of the 20 target areas, which are currently being approved by the government. The focus area for the Pripyat River Basin, as well as for the whole of Belarus, is the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the 2030 Agenda. Most of the goals and indicators for SDG 6 are also objectives and indicators of the draft Strategy for water resources management in the context of climate change for the period until 2030. When developing activities and targets of the Pri- pyat RBMP, the main attention will be paid to indicators for the implementation of goals 6.3-6.5 of SDG 6: goal 6.3. By 2030, to improve water quality by reducing pollution, elimination of waste and minimization of the discharge of hazardous chemicals and materials, halving the proportion of untreated wastewater, and significantly increasing recycling and safe reuse of wastewater worldwide; goal 6.4. By 2030, to essentially increase the efficiency of water use in all sectors and ensure sustainable intake and supply of fresh water to solve the problem of water shortage and significantly reduce the number of people suffering from water shortages; goal 6.5. By 2030, to ensure integrated water resources management at all levels, including, if necessary, through transboundary cooperation. The National Strategy for Sustainable Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Belarus for the period up to 2030 (NSDS-2030) in the sphere of sustainable use of natural resources and biodiversity protection establishes that the main challenges to sustainable development of the world economy are the threat of global climate change and biodiversity reduction, risk of disturbance of ecological balance and water balance of territories. Regarding the high assessment of the possibility and scale of the consequences of global risks associated with the increasing scarcity of quality water resources in the world, the strategic goal of conserving water resources in Belarus is to increase the efficiency of use and protection of water resources, improve their quality in accordance with the needs of society and possible climate change. The main strategic goal established in the Draft of the Water Strategy of the Republic of Belarus for the period until 2030 in the context of climate change is the achievement of the country's sustainable water security for its current and future generations. The state program “Comfortable housing and a favorable environment” for 2016–2020 (as amended by the editorial directives of the Council of Ministers of January 12, 2017 No.22, of August 25, 2017 No.650) includes subprogram 5 “Clean water”. The priority task of this subprogram is to improve the quality of drinking water supply and its target indicator is provision of consumers with drinking water supply. This task is planned to be accomplished through the construction of about 500 water deferriza- tion stations. As a result of the implementation of subprogramme 5, by the end of 2020, the provision of consumers with drinking water quality should be 100 percent. The concept of improvement and development of the housing and utilities sector until 2025 (Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus was approved on December 12, 2017 No.1037) also foresees solving the tasks of providing the population with high-quality drinking water and ensuring the treatment of wastewater discharged into water bodies in accordance with the requirements of regulation acts.

9. Summary of the consultations

On June 29, 2019, in accordance with Article 19 of the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus, the first meeting of the Pripyat Basin Council was held. Its structure was approved by order of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus dated June 21, 2018 No. 190-OD “On the Creation of the Pripyat Basin Council”. The formation of the Pripyat Basin Council is the implementation of one of the basic principles of the Convention on the Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes, which the Republic of Belarus joined in 2003. The activities of the basin council are primarily aimed at integrated water resources management. This will require to conduct the most thorough analysis not only in the current water management situation, but also an objective assessment of the prospective use of water resources, taking into account the achievement of indicators of social and economic development of the Republic of Belarus, as well as the Sustainable Development Goals contained in the resolution of the United Nations General Assembly from 25.09.2015 No.70/1. During the session of the Basin Council the information was heard on the results of the development of the very first draft Pripyat River Basin Management Plan. The preparation of this draft is carried out by the CRICUWR within the framework of applied research in accordance with Article 15 of the Water Code of the Republic of Belarus. It was noted that the draft Pripyat river basin management plan is being developed with the prospect of its implementation for 10 years. On 01 of November 2019 in Misk public consultations on the draft of the Pripyat river basin management plan were held. Pripyat RBMP was improved take into account the results of these consultations and other comments and proposals received from different miinisteries, stakeholders and other governmental and not governmental organizations. On 31 of January 2020 in Gomel public consultations on the draft of the final version of the Pripyat river basin management plan were held.

10. List of competent authorities

Beneficiary: Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection of the Republic of Belarus, Gomel, Brest and Minsk regional commities of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Responsible EU member state consortium project leader Alexander Zinke, Umweltbundesamt GmbH (AT) Stéphanie Laronde; Office International de l’Eau (FR) EUWI+ country representative in Belarus Aliaksandr Stankevich; Central Research Institute for Complex Use of Water Resources Responsible international thematic lead expert Philippe Seguin; Office International de l’Eau (FR) Responsible Belarusian thematic lead expert Victoriya Voronova ; Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Responsible organizations for implementation of the Pripyat river basin management plan Gomel, Brest and Minsk regional executive committees

11. Procedure for obtaining the technical reports

Techical reports were obtained by representstives of the reposible authorities mentioned above in section 10 on the stage of the Pripyat river basin management plan developing. The document of Pri- pyat RBMP was posted on the CRICUWR’s-website at all stages of its development The next Pripyat basin council it is planned preliminary on March – April 2020. It is planned to adopt of of the final version of the Pripyat river basin management plan on this council. 21