EurEau has joined Connect Europe, Eurelectric, and Hope, all European associations representing critical infrastructure, in a call to NATO Allies urging them to realise their commitment and invest up to 1.5% of GDP in societal resilience by 2035 with a particular focus on critical infrastructures resilience.
Water supply and wastewater systems are fundamental to maintaining vital societal functions in all circumstances. At the same time, the provision of their essential services is indispensable to the operation of military bases, hospitals, logistics centres, and other critical nodes of defence.
In times of military conflict, including cyberattacks, sabotage, and other acts of warfare, the disruption of water services could have a severe impact on military readiness and civil protection alike. With the increasing hybridisation of threats, the security and resilience of water utilities must be seen not as peripheral, but as core to European defence capability.
With an annual investment gap of approximately €23 billion simply to meet compliance requirements under existing water legislation, the EU water services sector is facing a significant challenge in securing the necessary funds for enhancing its resilience in the evermore unpredictable geopolitical context.
The joint statement is available here.
