Georgia developed a national pilot of its Water Information System under the ENI SEIS II East project. The Water Information System serves as common platform among national water agencies to facilitate data harmonisation, integration and exchange. Furthermore, as a result of this pilot project, Georgia’s water quality database is consistent with the reporting format of the Water Information System for Europe (WISE) and the EU Water Framework Directive.

As Georgia is home to very rich freshwater and marine ecosystems and water is a strategic resource for Georgian society and economy, the Water Information System of Georgia (WIS-Georgia) comprises freshwater and marine components.

The freshwater component hosts information on water and climate change policies, the state of water resources, data and information exchange functions, and a gateway to water databases hosted by different water agencies. All information is presented in both English and Georgian. The marine component is still under construction and subject to future development.

WIS-Georgia equips policymakers with information for decision-making on the sustainable management of water resources. For instance, the information system presents a number of indicators addressing the state of water resources, the pressures of societal and economic demands on water resources, waste water treatment and water quality, and access to clean water. Georgian citizens can find information from WIS-Georgia on the quantity and quality of the country’s water resources and the progress in developing the country’s water infrastructure.

Experts, practitioners and academics can access various databases and compare the national data with the data for EU Member States, as Georgian water quality data are fully aligned with the European dataset. A number of visual materials, such as interactive charts, maps, map viewers and reports and other type of publications, are available on WIS-Georgia and serve as a reliable information source for end users.

WIS-Georgia’s development is based on the new information technologies and methodologies used in EEA member countries, including a flexible content management system. It presents various types of information and water data, which are intended to support knowledge-based policymaking.

With the EU’s support, Georgia is effectively aligning with and approximating its water policy and implementation to the EU environmental acquis. A concrete example of this is the harmonisation of the Georgian water quality data in line with the WISE water quality data dictionary. It is now compatible with the European dataset. Similarly, the indicators based on water quality data and published on WIS-Georgia follow the EEA’s indicator template. That means that comparison between data for Georgia and any EU Member State can be made, for instance on nutrients in freshwater.

With WIS-Georgia, the country is now ready to provide up-to-date data and information to fulfil its international reporting obligations, especially the UN Sustainable Development Goals.