Protecting the Rivers of

the Black Sea Together

First Day of the PURE Rivers Project

Kick-off Meeting Completed

Second Day of the PURE Rivers Project

Kick-off Meeting Completed

PURE Rivers Project Public Institutions

Information Meeting Held

Evros River

Sakarya River

Supsa River

Co-financed by the European Union.
Interreg NEXT Black Sea Basin 2021–2027
PO2 A Greener Europe

3

Target Rivers

4

Partner Organısatıons

30

Months

Target Rivers

Three Rivers, One Framework

Consistent data production through a standardised methodology to address agricultural runoff, industrial discharges and microplastics.

Türkİye
Sakarya River
Lead Partner: IUC
Partner: Sakarya Governorship
Greece / Türkİye
Evros River
Partner: Democritus University (DUTH)
Georgıa
Supsa River
Partner: Lanchkhuti Municipality

Stakeholder Map

Who Can Contribute to This Initiative?

Local public authorities
Municipalities and regional bodies
Universities & Research
DUTH, IUC and regional institutions
NGOs & Civil Society
Environmental and river protection organisations
Farmers & Industry
Pollution source stakeholders
Educational Institutions
Schools, students, teachers
General Public
Riverside communities

Project Tımelıne

From Science to Action — 30 Months

Engagement intensity of stakeholders who benefit from and participate in project activities.

Months 1–8 · Preparatıon
Methodology & Capacity Development
ISO standards · 24-hour field training · sampling protocols
Months 5–20 · Monıtorıng
Sampling & Lab Analyses
4 seasons · pathogens, microplastics, heavy metals · scientific reports
Months 21–24 · Strategy
Action Plans & Stakeholder Engagement
Local conferences · round tables · restoration platform
Months 21–28 · Actıon
Clean-up, Bioremediation & Training
Diving teams · 100+ children · farmer & industry workshops
Months 29–30 · Legacy
International Conference & Regional Network
“Pure & Clean Rivers” platform · MoA signing · dissemination

Socıal Medıa Feed

Live News from the Rivers

Latest posts from all platforms in a single feed.

Pure Rivers Follow

Pure Rivers is an EU-funded international environmental project tackling river pollution in the Black Sea region.

Purerivers_eu
purerivers_eu Pure Rivers @purerivers_eu ·
23 Jun

Sakarya Governorship is one of the project partners of PURE Rivers and plays a key role in strengthening cooperation among public institutions, local authorities, and regional stakeholders.

Contributing to the protection of the Sakarya River, the Governorship supports activities

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purerivers_eu Pure Rivers @purerivers_eu ·
15 Jun

As lead partner, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa is responsible for overall project coordination and monitoring activities along the Sakarya River. #PURERivers #InterregNEXT #BlackSeaBasin

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purerivers_eu Pure Rivers @purerivers_eu ·
8 Jun

PURE Rivers Project Public Institutions Information Meeting Held
A public institutions information meeting for the PURE Rivers – Pollution Understanding and Restoration Effort for Rivers Project, implemented with the co-financing of the European Union under the Interreg NEXT

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purerivers_eu Pure Rivers @purerivers_eu ·
22 May

An important step has been taken towards the ecological sustainability of the Black Sea Basin. During the kickoff meeting of the Pure Rivers Project, project partners came together to discuss key objectives focused on protecting river ecosystems, improving water quality, and

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Events and Conferences

Sharing Knowledge

From local workshops to the international summit — all events organised and planned throughout the project.

Kıckoff Meetıng
Pollution Understanding And Restoration Effort For Rivers
MAY 6-9, 2026
Hosted by Istanbul Cerrahpaşa University
Project Publıc Instıtutıons Informatıon Meetıng
Pollutıon Understandıng And Restoratıon Effort For Rıvers
JUN 5, 2026
Hosted by Sakarya Governorship

Blog

Stories from the Rivers

Scientists, local officials, field volunteers — different voices, one goal.

Cooperation Among Turkey, Greece, and Georgia to Save the Rivers

The PURE RIVERS project, which aims to assess and reduce pollution in target rivers in the Black Sea Basin while...

Joining Forces for the Rivers of the Black Sea: The PURE RIVERS Project Has Begun

The PURE RIVERS project, which brings together Turkey, Greece, and Georgia, has launched an initiative to combat pollution in the...

International Environmental Initiative for the Sakarya, Meriç, and Supsa Rivers

The PURE RIVERS Project, launched to reduce pollution in rivers flowing into the Black Sea and improve ecosystem health, was...

Regıonal Network

Pure and Clean Rivers Platform

A permanent coordination and knowledge-sharing network connecting all river protection stakeholders in the Black Sea basin. It will live on after the project ends.

3
Countries
Policy development support
Project data and methodologies inform national and regional river policies.
Coordination and advisory
Network members can consult each other on pollution management and restoration.
Permanent communication platform
Coordination among network members will continue after the project via the digital platform.
Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) — September 2026
By signing the MoA at the international conference, local authorities, universities, NGOs and sector bodies will become permanent members of this network. Goal: a common voice for sustainable river management across the Black Sea basin.

    Membership application →

      Partnershıp Structure

      Project Partners

      A multi-actor transnational partnership combining scientific research, local government experience and field capacity.

      Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa
      Lead Partner · Research coordination and methodology development

      Türkiye

      Sakarya Governorship
      Local Authority · Sakarya River management and field implementation

      Türkiye

      Democritus Uni.
      Research Institution · Maritsa delta scientific monitoring

      Greece

      Lanchkhuti Mun.
      Local Authority · Supsa River and community engagement

      Georgia