STREPOW International Workshop 159 PHYTOREMEDIATION AND STREAM REVITALIZATION FOR AMELIORATION OF ECOLOGICAL STATUS OF STREAM GLINŠČICA, SLOVENIA Martin Vrhovšek 1 , Darja Isteni 1 , Andrej Hercog 1 , Urša Vidmar 1 , Jaka Razinger 2 , Maja Zupani Justin 1 1 Limnos, Company for applied ecology, Podlimbarskega 31, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia 2 Agricultural Institute of Slovenia, Hacquetova 17, 1000 Ljubljana Summary Ecotoxicological analysis of the stream Glinščica in Ljubljanaб Slovenia have shown increased pollution as well as toxicity in the stream. The reasons were found in the outflow from septic tanks and sewage system along the stream and in non-point sources of pollution from agricultural stormwater run-off. To demonstrate a natural way to reduce the pollution and improve the ecosystem services of the stream and riparian habitats, a phytoremediation system on the tributary of Glinščica has been proposed and constructed in зее6г The system consists of phytoremediation segments and artificially meandered stream segment in function of retention and treatment of incoming inflows as well as improvement of other ecosystem services. The results of the system function and development of vegetation from the last five years are presented. Keywords: sewage treatment, non-point source of pollution, reed bed, ecoremediation, ecosystem services Introduction Different point- and non-point sources of pollution of water are resulting in eutrofication of fresh water environment. This has several consequences, which do not reflect only in low water quality, but also in decline of all other ecosystem services like prevalence of invasive species and reduction of species and habitat diversity in water and riparian ecosystems, reduced self- purification capacity and low aesthetic and cultural value. In extreme cases the pollution can lead as far as to the die-off of organisms due to the occurrence of toxicity. Preliminary ecotoxicological analysis along the stream Glinščica in Ljubljanaб Slovenia have shown increased pollution as well as toxicity in the stream. The reasons were found in the outflow from septic tanks and sewage system, and stormwater runoff into the stream, as well as from non-point sources of pollution from agricultural surfaces nearby. Therefore, a construction of demonstrative phytoremediation system (ecoremediation object) on one of the tributaries of the stream Glinščica has been proposed and constructed in 2006. The location was selected due to its obvious signs of sources of pollution from the nearby urban and agricultural hinterland. There was an evident need to treat the sewage outflow before it enters into the stream as well as to protect the stream from the non-point sources of pollution. The site was also selected as a demonstration site of good practices using phytotechnologies for the improvement of water quality status in the Municipality of Ljubljana. The aim of the project was to demonstrate good phytoremediation praxis for the improvement of water quality as well as ecosystem services (Griessler et al., 2008, Griessler et alгб зее9б Vrhovšek et al., 2010).