The Mures River it is severely polluted by the large chemical complex Azomures SA from Tg. Mures which is producing artificial fertilizers (ammonium nitrate, NPK, etc) and by other sources like the water treatment station from Reghin, water treatment station from Tg. Mures, pig farm from Gornesti and as well by other smaller industrial plants and diffuse pollution sources from agriculture. Due to these pollution sources the water quality it is very poor information which is confirmed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

The groundwater it is also polluted which is very critical because in the rural area the individual water sources are used for drinking water.

The pollution of the river have severely impacted the local drinking water supplies in Tg. Mures and Iernut which obtain the drinking water from the Mures River and adversely affected fishing and recreation in the whole area (for exempla at the famous recreation area from Tg. Mures called "weekend")

The Mures River Basin it is a pilot River Basin in Romania concerning the implementation of the Water Framework Directive. In this respect the Mures River Basin Committee (responsible for water basin management planning in Mures River basin) has the responsibility to improve the situation. It is well known in Romania that the NGO community it was unsatisfied about the way of establishing the composition of the River Basin Committees (for example the NGO representatives were selected in very short time without large consultation of the NGO community from the river basins). There are little information about the function of the RBCs in other countries so a capacity building workshop, in order to give these information it is necessary.

The function of the River Basin Committee is lack of transparency and it is missing the real representation of the interest of the different stakeholders and because of this fact it is difficult to implement the Water Framework Directive and to improve the situation.

In these conditions our project will focus: (1) to have a greater voice for the NGOs in the water basin management committees that are the main vehicle for public input into the planning effort; (2) to learn more about the planning process and get access to the documents that the authorities are generating and relying on to develop the water basin management plan, including the program of measures, so the NGOs and the other partners can participate in the planning process in an informed way; and (3) to use the information in future awareness campaigns and other activities in Tg. Mures and share it with other NGOs and citizens, and propose methods for better involvement of the NGOs in the RBC activities.

"Stakeholder identification. Meetings and discussions with NGOs or other stakeholders (for example regional operators) from the Mures River Basin.

*Expected result: identification of at least 15 motivated stakeholders (at least 9 NGOs) in the Mures River Basin which are interested to have a more active participation in the activities of the RBC.

"Information access issues, including finding out which documents are held by the Committee and which of these can be obtained by NGOs and other relevant local stakeholders. Creation of an e-mail list for the NGOs interested in water issues.

*Expected result: clear picture of the information flow concerning the activities of the RBC. Information of the NGO community about this information flow trough the e-mail list which it was created.

"Participation at two Water Basin Committee meetings, finding out the methods, scope, and timing of public notification of water basin committee meetings, and the possibilities of public participation in Water Basin Committee meetings.

*Expected results: clarification of the actual situation and the role of the public participation, comments and proposals concerning the better public access to information regarding the meeting, proposals concerning the development of mechanisms for informing stakeholders about the results of Committee meetings. Realization of a guide concerning the methods of public participation in the work of the RBC.

"Cooperation with mayor of municipalities and other stakeholders from the Niraj river basin (sub-basin of the Mures river) in order to reach out to the citizens the decisions concerning the 2nd phase of regulation of the Niraj River. Information of the stakeholders about the consequences of these regulation concerning the EU directives (Water Framework Directive and Nitrate Directive)

*Expected results: Creation of a case study concerning the involvement of a group of stakeholders from a sub-basin in the activity of the RBC

"Capacity building workshop for NGOs through examples of how these issues are handled by similar bodies in other countries

*Expected result: increased capacity of the participants to be involved in the decision making process concerning water issues

"Identification of the major sources of pollution and the causes of pollution (technical causes, human errors, legislation problems) in the area of Tg. Mures and elaboration of proposals in order to reduce the level of pollution especially with nutrients. Collecting information concerning the pollution sources and analysis of some samples (especially from ground water) in order to give arguments for improving measures.