The water sector is increasingly digitalising its activities so EurEau welcomes measures promoting the expansion of high-performance networks for electronic communication. EurEau calls on the co-legislators to support the exemption of the drinking water infrastructure from the scope of this regulation. This is justified by the need to ensure continuous compliance with the strict quality requirements for the drinking water itself and for materials in contact with drinking water. Any risk of non-compliance for this essential service must be avoided.

Furthermore, the EU institutions should take into account the special status of critical infrastructures when it comes to access to physical infrastructures and related data. Highest cybersecurity levels must be ensured.

Last but not least, EurEau does not support the abolition of permit-granting procedures for certain categories of deployment. This could lead to an increased risk of damage to existing drinking and wastewater infrastructure.

Read our position here.