**7. Conclusions**

Despite numerous measures to improve the quality of the environment in the last decades, water quality is still seriously threatened by point and non-point sources of pollution. The application and development of ET for water protection, treatment and reuse in Slovenia have shown that they are appropriate measures for reaching EU regulations in terms of good water quality; moreover, they consider also the recycling of nutrients, reuse of water and potentially the production of biomass.

ET or ecoremediations mimic healthy natural ecosystems, have high buffer and self-cleaning capacity and contribute to habitat diversity. Moreover, these systems have the remediation ability, ensure high biodiversity and contribute to the stability of ecosystems. Nutrients and pollutants in ET are subdued to numerous processes that enable pollutant and nutrient transformations, degradation or stabilization. Through these processes, ET enable the reuse or recycling of nutrients as phosphorous and nitrogen, which nowadays have one way flow from consumption to waste, which will result in a shortage of plant fertilizers in a near future. Closing the loops of wastewater treatment is therefore crucial.

In Slovenia ET are in a rise since 1989. Different ET have been applied, namely treatment wetlands, watercourse revitalization, vegetated drainage ditches, waste stabilization ponds, phytoremediation of landfill sites. Most common ET in Slovenia are treatment wetlands for municipal sewage followed by watercourses revitalization. A high number of treatment wetlands indicate the priority of local communities and the authorities to solve deficient wastewater treatment systems in the country. An important part of the research and development of ET in Slovenia was focused also on the restoration of landfill sites, where a closed water and pollutant loop was investigated and successfully implemented; however, the system is not yet successful in the market because the local governance and environmental managers are still focused on wastewater treatment. Due to gradual acceptance and implementation of ET in local environments there is still a long way to walk in order to achieve sustainable society in terms of closing the loops of water and nutrient usage.


\*estimated numbers

212 Studies on Water Management Issues

Goričko on short sections of watercourses and lakes of eight local communities. Different in-stream and stream bank features were implemented to attain a successful revitalization. Weirs with small pools were constructed in the channels to improve streambed substrate, slow down the flow velocity, retain water and provide proper fish passages. Artificial indentations as well as restored and protected indentations contribute to better water habitats diversity. The passages for otters under the bridges were implemented which enabled otters to pass the roads safely. New vegetation zones (riparian wetlands and constructed wetlands) prevent erosion, provide buffer and better connectivity between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems (Griessler Bulc & Šajn-Slak, 2009). The revitalization measures were also widely accepted by the local population, satisfied by the re-gained

natural appearance of the streams and water murmur.

Fig. 4. Schematic evolution of river revitalization (source: LIMNOS Ltd.)

Despite numerous measures to improve the quality of the environment in the last decades, water quality is still seriously threatened by point and non-point sources of pollution. The application and development of ET for water protection, treatment and reuse in Slovenia have shown that they are appropriate measures for reaching EU regulations in terms of good water quality; moreover, they consider also the recycling of nutrients, reuse of water

ET or ecoremediations mimic healthy natural ecosystems, have high buffer and self-cleaning capacity and contribute to habitat diversity. Moreover, these systems have the remediation ability, ensure high biodiversity and contribute to the stability of ecosystems. Nutrients and pollutants in ET are subdued to numerous processes that enable pollutant and nutrient transformations, degradation or stabilization. Through these processes, ET enable the reuse or recycling of nutrients as phosphorous and nitrogen, which nowadays have one way flow

**7. Conclusions** 

and potentially the production of biomass.

Table 1. Data about ET in Slovenia

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