Over 95% of the worlds freshwater, excluding glaciers and ice caps, is found underground. Groundwater provides the steady, base flow of rivers and wetlands, maintaining this flow and keeping it free from pollution is vital for surface water ecosystems. Groundwater is also a crucial source of drinking water, supplying the water systems for three out of four EU citizens. In some countries groundwater extraction provides almost 100% of drinking water, therefore its protection is vital. Furthermore also European economies tap groundwater for industrial cooling and for agricultural irrigation.In this context, SHARP focuses on the exchange of innovative technologies to protect groundwater resources for future generations by considering the climate change and the different geological and geographical conditions of regions involved. Partners will exchange practical know-how and also determine know-how demands concerning SHARPs key contents: general groundwater management tools,artificial groundwater recharge technologies, groundwater monitoring systems, strategic use of groundwater resources for drinking water, irrigation and industry, techniques to save water quality and quantity, drinking water safety plans, risk management tools and water balance models. While some partners are well experienced in groundwater management and in techniques to save and improve the water quality and quantity, other partners are less experienced and in need of specific know-how for their current and future situation.Thus partners agreed to support less experienced partners with necessary know-how by sharing the existing expertise and by processing existing know-how to be applied in different geological & geographical regions. Gained feedback and specific demands of the less experienced partners will help the more experienced ones to recheck their own implemented methods/technologies and – if necessary - to optimise or adapt them (win –win situation for all partners).The exchange of experiences and transfer of know-how will primarily be achieved via Seminars, Study Visits and International Conferences. Furthermore SHARP will support the know-how transfer and facilitate the cooperation between project partners, decision makers and relevant stakeholders by the establishment of the SHARP VIC (Virtual Information Centre) an IT-based communication system - to ensure the permanent access to the SHARP know-how pool. Based on innovative methods, technologies and practices and its further development in the course of the project the sensitive management and the responsible use of available groundwater resources for drinking water, irrigation or industrial use will be supported.SHARP Outputs & results will influence the regional policy in the frame of sustainable groundwater management to save and improve the quality and quantity of groundwater reservoirs for future generations. Achievements: The overall objective of SHARP is to save & protect existing water resources for future generations. Project Partners will exchange & improve successful & innovative technologies in the frame of sustainable groundwater management & risk prevention of water supplies; this will accelerate future decisions and actions at the local/regional level. The main activities of SHARP so far consisted of the kick off meeting in Graz/AT, the 1st project seminar in Edinburgh/UK, the 2nd seminar in Udine/IT and the 3rd seminar in Wroclaw/PL & Dresden/DE & the 4th seminar together with the 1st International conference took place in Kozani/GR. The meeting in Graz was completed by a study visit of the 2 artificial groundwater recharge sites in Andritz & Friesach that are being operated by the Graz Holding Services GmbH. Thus, one of the SHARP key contents was already covered by a firsthand experience. The 2nd study visit took place in Poland/Germany, where the participants took part in the field visit, which began in PGE Turow Lignite Mine, located in Bogatynia, near PL-DE & PL-CZ boarders. The project partners also viewed opencast mines in Poland & Greece & a modern mine water treatment plant as well as the mining lake Berzdorf & the drinking water works Hosterwitz in Dresden/Germany. Current results achieved within SHARP comprise know how transfer by presentation of existing know how & experiences in SHARP key contents, definition of specific demands by partners and the identification of 15 existing good practices & adaptions. Bilateral meetings between partners took place to discuss needs & opportunities to implement the existing good practices & adaptions of tools & methodologies which have been defined. During the 1st international conference in Kozani a meeting with the Water Management Department of Kozani took place. The LP & Project Manager gave a general overview of the targets and aims of the project SHARP and explained the application & techniques of artificial recharge as it is used in the City of Graz by PP9. They also gave some examples of identified good practices within the project & the possibility to adapt some of them, as defined for RWM in the region of Western Macedonia. First steps regarding elaboration of common expertises, evaluation of potential good-practices on groundwater resource management technologies are done. Also external experts are invited to meetings to present their view of praxis. Furthermore, benefits obtained through the PPs by application of the good practices are discussed. To facilitate an effective work flow, each PP first describes his present know-how & already implemented procedures or technologies as well as his current &/or likely future problems & demands (e.g. needs for know-how, innovative tools) within the SHARP key contents. Every PP contributes accordingly to the overall achievement of the project goals. In this sense 15 examples of existing good practices on groundwater management were defined & selectedfrom the PPs competence & needs. In this process, also less experienced PPs try to come up with an example from their region or area of activities. On the other hand, also the more experienced PPs think about possible applications of upgraded good practices of groundwater management within their environment. In a second step 15 additional examples of good groundwater management practices (including tools and methodologies considering their practicability) to be adapted and potentially transferred into different SHARP (or similar) regions in the frame of the SHARP key contents are mutually selected by the PPs. This process will result in a joint development of innovative methods & techniques based on specific demands of involved project partners. At least the communication manager of LP presented the draft version of the SHARP Manual to the partnership asking the PPs to deliver appropriate inputs for presentation at the 2nd International conference in Graz/Austria.