Our Publications

An overview of our work in 2017.

EurEau welcomes and supports the EU Strategy on Plastics. EurEau also fully supports REACH restrictions regarding microplastics in personal care and cosmetic products and detergents. 

The water services sector is particularly concerned about microplastics emissions in the (aquatic) environment. Microplastics are a challenge for waste water operators, whose mission is to treat waste water to ensure the protection of the environment and ecosystems, and for drinking water operators, who have to rely on drinking water resources to produce drinking water. EurEau advocates for the polluter pays principle and control at source measures as well as extended producer responsibility to tackle this issue. 

If water is a public good, it is also true that providing water services is an activity with important technical, economic, managerial and regulatory aspects – whether carried out by public or private operators. Water services are essential in supporting the sustainable development of our societies, but still little is known about them. This is because the infrastructure is mainly underground, accessible only to few experts and sometimes situated in locations that are far from urban areas and protected for obvious security reasons.

This report will be helpful in providing a simple but comprehensive overview of water governance models in Europe, especially to those decision makers at EU and at national level who will work on the legislative instruments to reform water policy in the coming years.

Pharmaceuticals can enter the water cycle in many ways. We must take steps now to minimise their release into the environment. A full life cycle of pharmaceuticals should be considered when designing remedial measures. End of pipe solutions are not sustainable.

Microplastics can enter the water cycle in many ways and are not entirely biodegradable. They can accumulate and could pose a threat to our water resources and ecosystems.
Control at source is essential for microplastics to prevent them from entering the environment. We need extended producer responsibility.
Additional treatment steps exist which will lead to increased tariffs for consumers.

UWWTD is a central pillar of the waste water services in Europe and has successfully created a level playing field for environmental standards and economic investment by setting baseline requirements for urban waste water treatment. We agree that time is now to evaluate the costs and benefits of UWWTD implementation.

EurEau is pleased to present our data survey, covering both drinking and waste water services in Europe. It includes national technical, economic and managerial data ranging from population connection rates to drinking water supply to waste water treatment levels to prices and governance. The results testify the diversity of the sector. They also show some of the immediate challenges our sector is facing, particularly regarding investment needs.

2017 edition.