Deadline Date: September 17, 2026
The European Commission is now accepting grant applications to advance methods for evaluating the presence, functions, and sensitivity of groundwater ecosystems to support effective water management and environmental protection.
The initiative focuses on improving knowledge of groundwater ecosystems, developing innovative methods including sensor-based approaches such as biosensors and remote sensors, assessing ecological presence, functions and sensitivity of different taxonomic groups, generating harmonised and validated methods for ecotoxicity testing of pollutants, identifying acute and chronic effects of contaminants, deriving groundwater protection standards, and defining biological and physico-chemical quality elements for future ecological status assessment and classification under EU water legislation. Funding: €10,000,000.00, around €5,000,000.00
Groundwater ecosystems play a critical role in providing drinking water, supporting biodiversity, and maintaining ecological balance, yet their biological functions and sensitivity remain poorly understood. Existing assessments show that while most groundwater resources are in good chemical status, pollution from nitrates, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, and emerging contaminants continues to pose risks.
There is limited scientific understanding of emerging pollutants such as PFAS, microplastics, and antimicrobial resistance, making it difficult to fully assess their impact on groundwater biodiversity and ecosystem health. Current freshwater standards are not always sufficient to protect groundwater ecosystems, highlighting the need for improved scientific evidence.
This initiative aims to address these gaps by developing innovative methods to detect and analyse groundwater ecosystems, including the use of advanced sensor technologies. It also focuses on understanding the presence and ecological functions of different organisms and taxonomic groups within groundwater environments.
The project further works on creating harmonised and validated testing methods to study the toxic effects of pollutants on groundwater ecosystems, including both short-term and long-term impacts. This supports the development of better groundwater protection standards and prioritisation of harmful substances.
Additionally, the initiative seeks to define biological and physico-chemical quality indicators that can be used to assess and classify groundwater ecological status in future environmental legislation. These efforts aim to strengthen scientific evidence for policymaking and improve protection of groundwater-dependent ecosystems and water resources.
For more information, visit European Commission.
