PPRRRCM

Cimişlia, Moldova

  • Water Authority

  • Contact:

Sergiu Andronachi 

  • Background

Cimișlia is an important economic and cultural hub for the surrounding rural region. Agriculture plays a major role in the local economy, with the fertile soil supporting crops like cereals, vegetables, and fruit. The town is also known for its vineyards, producing a variety of wines. The town is located on the banks of the Cogolnic River, a tributary of the Prut River. Its waters provide vital support to local agriculture, especially irrigation for crops grown in the fertile lands surrounding the river. Due to the extensive use of pesticides in the Soviet era, not only do water and soil remain contaminated, but legacy pesticides can also be found in abandoned warehouses. 

  • Key facts

  • 1200 to 1500 tonnes of pesticides are used in Moldova annually
  • Before 1992, pesticides were released with a helicopter, and the landing site next to the hospital remains contaminated. 
  • The municipal well is deep enough not to be affected by the pesticides; however, many residents of Cimislia use shallow wells, and the water contamination has not been studied. 
  • Large volumes of legacy pesticides are left in old warehouses and across the area without any information concerning their composition.  

  • Project description and expected results

The project is dedicated to the development of the Pesticide Prevention, Reduction and Remediation Roadmap for Cimislia, Moldova, based on key stakeholder dialogue (municipal wastewater treatment company, environmental NGOs), data sampling, aggregation and analysis as well as know-how provided by the I mermaid experts. The developed Roadmap will cover the measures to prevent and reduce the flow of pesticides used currently in agriculture into the environment and Cogâlnic River, as well as remediation measures of legacy pesticides present in the environment and stocked in the warehouses since the late 1980s. The Roadmap will be disseminated among local authorities of Moldova, providing the basis for replication across the country. 

Expected results:

  1. Detailed information on the scale of the problem of legacy and contemporary pesticides which will provide the basis for seeking adequate solutions 
  2. Increased awareness of the environmental impact of pesticides among the residents of Cimislia and local authorities in Moldova  
  3. Feasible plan to improve local environment and living conditions by solving legacy pesticide problem