Europe’s water services are delivering, but future resilience needs investment
Europe’s water services are one of the continent’s quiet success stories. Every day, they provide safe drinking water and wastewater services to millions of people while keeping costs affordable.
The latest edition of Europe’s Water in Figures shows that 97% of Europeans are connected to drinking water services and around 90% to wastewater collection and treatment. At the same time, households spend only around 1% of their income on water services.
But these achievements cannot be taken for granted.
Water infrastructure across Europe is ageing, while investment is struggling to keep pace with inflation. At the same time, water utilities face new challenges, from PFAS pollution and climate change to rising energy costs and stricter treatment requirements.
The report also shows encouraging progress. Water consumption and network losses are decreasing, reflecting the sector’s commitment to efficiency and sustainability. Yet lower consumption also means lower revenues, while the cost of maintaining essential infrastructure continues to rise.
The message is clear: Europe’s water services are delivering today, but safeguarding tomorrow’s resilience will require sustained investment and stronger action to prevent pollution at source.
Protecting water before it becomes polluted is not only better for the environment, it is also the most cost-effective way to keep water services affordable for Europe’s citizens.
Read the full Europe’s Water in Figures 2026 report to discover the latest data on Europe’s water sector.
We have also published a snapshot of Europe’s water in the year 2025.