The Latvian partners of the NOAH project met at the “warm-up” meeting

On November 26, the Latvian partners of the NOAH project met at the “warm-up” meeting. The guests were welcomed by Edgars Pārpucis and Liene Zilina, representatives of the Ogre Municipality. In the beginning, the guests were shown the current investments of the municipality in reducing the threat of flood. Participants visited the viewing area on Brivibas Street, which overlooks the part of the Ogre River where ice congestion occurs. Later we looked at the water level lats in the Ogre HPS and the new water level measuring point in Darzini Palienes Street.

Subsequently, the project participants reviewed the anticipated activities and potential readiness. Representatives of two commercial companies were invited to the meeting, who could potentially submit tenders for level measurement equipment within the project.

The meeting was attended by representatives of the Liepaja Communal Administration, Jurmala Water Ltd. representatives, SIA LĢMC and RTU members under the leadership of Janis Rubulis.

NOAH project will start in 01.01.2019.

Latvian Water Supply and Sewerage Enterprises Board meeting at the Water Research Laboratory

On November 8, the Water Research Laboratory welcomed Association of Latvian Water Supply and Sewerage Enterprises (LŪKA) Board meeting in its premises. The audience was welcomed by Juhna Talis, Director of the Laboratory, and performed with  a presentation by leading researcher Rubulis Janis. The participants were informed and discussed about risk analysis in the context of Water Safety Plans. Also, the audience were introduced to the activities of the iWatermap project and Janis made a small express-survey by finding out that the problem of sewage sludge present appears to be the most important national scale, and this problem needs to be addressed through a multidisciplinary approach. As the next major challenges are mentioned drinking water accounting and billing issues related to building and apartment counters, as well as embalming of drinking water in centralized water supply systems.

The participants also learned about the activities of the NOAH project.

Visit to Riga Center Humanitarian Secondary school

On October 11, Sandis Dejus, Researcher of the Water Research Laboratory, visited the Riga Center Humanitarian Secondary School, where he gave an insight into the drinking water world and responsible drinking water habits to 5th grade pupils, as well as by means of demonstrations, dispelled myths about the quality and use of water in Latvia in the “tap” safety. Pupils were also introduced to the correct and safe conditions for tap water use, for example, do not drink water directly from the tap, but use cups for thirst quenching.

Visit to Cesis City Boarding School

On October 10, Sandis Dejus, a researcher of the Water Research Laboratory, in cooperation with the Latvian Water Supply and Sewerage Association and the initiative group # Ūvitamin, visited the Cēsis City Boarding School. The visit and the lesson “Water – Our Friend” were one of the benefits the school students had taken care of because they successfully participated in the video contest organized by the Latvian water supply and sewage company on the importance of water.

During the event, pupils in grades 5 and 6 were introduced to the role of water in human life and the circulation of water in nature, as well explained how to use drinking water smartly and responsibly. In the lecture, students also had the opportunity to experimentally test the water turbidity parameter and to demonstrate the compliance of the tap water with the requirements of the safety and quality of drinking water. The obtained results contributed to the idea of tap water use under the minimum conditions, for example, not to drink water directly from the tap, but to use a cups for thirst quenching.

Assessment of Biogas Production Risks in the Baltic Sea Region from the Perspective of Management of Nutrient Matter

From 30th August to 31st August project «Assessment of Biogas Production Risks in the Baltic Sea Region from the Perspective of Management of Nutrient Matter» meeting took place in Riga. The project is attended by 7 partners – Aalto University (Finland), Gdansk Technical University (Poland), Chalmers Technical University (Sweden), Estonian Biogas Association, The University of Aarhus (Denmark), the Riga Technical University and the John Nurminen Foundation. The project aim is to reduce the risk of leakage of nutrients from the biogas production process in the Baltic Sea Region and a number of discharges from existing biogas equipment. Riga Technical University Water Research Laboratory is project coordinator.