World Soil Day 2023
Every year, 5 December marks World Soil Day, aimed at raising awareness of the importance of healthy soil and promoting the sustainable management of water resources. In 2023, the theme of this year's celebration is "Soil and water, resources for life".
Groundwater is a vital resource and plays an essential role in providing almost half of the world's drinking water, around 40% of the water needed for irrigated agriculture and around 1/3 of the water used by industry. They help sustain ecosystems, maintain the base flow of rivers and prevent soil subsidence and seawater intrusion.
As the availability of surface water decreases due to human activities and climate change, the dependence and pressure on groundwater will continue to grow.
OiEau is fully committed to the preservation and sustainable management of groundwater, through its four areas of expertise.
Networking of stakeholders
In the run-up to the United Nations Water Conference in March 2023, INBO also called for attention to be focused on groundwater at the highest international level and for the sharing of experience on the responsible and sustainable use and protection of these water resources.
Data & Information Systems
The Bulletin de Situation Hydrologique (BSH), published by OiEau, gives a monthly assessment of water resources in mainland France for the previous month. In particular, it monitors changes in groundwater levels, providing an early warning of areas particularly affected by the lack of rainfall.
Support & Cooperation
WATERUN is a project that aims to develop an innovative methodology to help implement urban runoff management plans, based on the concept of water-sensitive urban design.
The aim is to transform the management of diffuse water pollution through the development of tools for identifying, planning and assessing risks, as well as new working procedures (guidance), with the early involvement of key stakeholders in urban water management and governance (co-creation process), to ensure wider and faster adoption.
Training & Skills
OiEau offers a wide range of training courses for better management of groundwater resources, in connection with drinking water catchment jurisprudence, drilling, soil sealing and integrated rainwater management.
The training centre is equipped with a hydraulic bench for demonstrations and tests on pumps and network regulation equipment.