Water is a precious resource and reusing it reduces pressure on our water supply and the environment. When treated correctly, water can be safely reused in irrigation, and standards are needed to ensure trust in the practice and the significant environmental, social and economic benefits that reuse can create.

The European Parliament voted last week to allow the reuse of treated waste water across the EU.

The new minimum requirements defined will mean that reclaimed water can be used in agriculture and for irrigation while protecting human and environmental health. By reusing water, we can reduce the pressure on the drinking water resources that are usually used for irrigation. 

Bertrand Vallet from the EurEau secretariat said that he is pleased to see that the responsibilities of all actors along the chain are defined to ensure that the quality of treated waste water is preserved after the water leaves the reclamation plant.

This vote is a significant step towards transitioning to the circular economy and to the EU's green future.