Our Publications

Climate change will directly and significantly affect water service providers in most parts of Europe, resulting in more frequent or intense periods of drought, heat waves or rain storms, and in more places.

We will all need to be more proactive to prepare for the growing scale of the fallout. This was evident with the intense drought during the spring and summer of 2018 when it became clear that the water sector must get involved in local/regional/national crisis management.

Our sectors’ response to climate change should encompass both mitigation (reducing the impact of water services) and adaptation (become resilient to its effects) measures.

This briefing note focuses on how climate change will impact on our sector, and the ways and means to adapt to these changes based on our current knowledge.

Microplastics are widespread and have been found in marine environments, surface water, in soils, in the air we breathe, in some of the food we eat (shellfish, honey, salt), and even in beer. The number of microplastic particles in groundwater is deemed to be negligible. The potential impact of microplastics on public health and ecosystems is a growing public concern and has been high on the agenda of decision makers for some time. With growing global use of (micro-)plastics, their release to the environment is expected to increase. Our briefing note outlines our concerns, and why we want to see more control at source measures. 

Our Briefing Note demonstrates the impact of persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT) and very persistent, very mobile (vPvM) substances on water services and calls for ambitious regulatory measures to restrict their use. EurEau supports the Council’s call for an action plan to phase out PFAS, some of which are PMT/vPvP substances.

The water sector has made great strides in becoming more energy-friendly. There are, nevertheless, limits to these improvements. Principle factors include local configurations and finding the right balance between environmental objectives, economical feasibility and water services affordability.

Efforts must be supported by policymakers to better address future challenges through an enabling regulatory framework, support for the establishment of financial instruments alongside the unambiguous implementation of the Control at Source Principle to avoid new treatment requirements that consume energy

Micropollutants can directly or indirectly enter the water cycle through many means. Once in the water cycle, they can pose a risk to drinking water resources and aquatic ecosystems.
Current technologies used in waste water treatment plants are not entirely capable of removing micropollutants. The most sustainable and preferred solution remains to prevent micropollutants – including microplastics – from entering the water cycle in the first place.
We call on the EU institutions to legislate according to the source control approach, the precautionary principle and the polluter pays principle. EurEau believes that the correct use of the source control approach is instrumental to achieve a truly circular economy.

European policy on micropollutants in surface water and groundwater should be based on the principles of ‘Control-at-Source’ and ‘Polluter-Pays’. The correct use of the source control approach is also essential to protecting human health and achieving a truly circular economy.

In this paper we present some considerations and recommendations to inform and assist decision makers.

Water and agriculture are intrinsically linked. It is therefore of the utmost importance that the new CAP protects the quality and quantity of water resources through an effective conditionality mechanism.
The European Commission’s CAP proposal contains a number of elements that could contribute to more sustainable agricultural practices. However, its provisions and requirements need strengthening in order to deliver tangible results.

As the pressure on water resources continues to grow due to climate change, more attention is being paid to alternative water sources. One viable alternative water source is urban waste water that has undergone necessary treatment to avoid health and environmental risks. To this end, the European Commission presented a regulation to define the minimum requirements Member States have to comply with in order to ensure the safety of water reuse practices across the European Union.

We welcome the legislative proposal which should contribute to increasing confidence in the reuse of treated waste water. However, we see major points to be improved on to make this regulation applicable and effective on the ground.

The European Parliament’s vote on the Drinking Water Directive will affect how much consumers pay for their water bills. We want MEPs to vote to save consumers money. 

In 2015, the European Commission published an Action Plan for the Circular Economy 1 . The accompanying Circular Economy Package with four legislative proposals was adopted in May 2018. EurEau strongly supports both the legislative elements and the action plan of the package. However, the Package lacks effective support measures for the European water sector, especially with regards to market access and financial support for innovative business models to recover materials and generate green energy in drinking water and waste water treatment.