EurEau and four other European organisations representing water services and services of general interest have called on the European Commission not to revise the Water Framework Directive (WFD), warning that weakening existing protections could put Europe’s water security at risk.
In a joint letter to the Strategic Coordination Group on 26 October, Aqua Publica Europea, AquaFed, EurEau, the European Water Association (EWA) and SGI Europe stressed that climate change, pollution, ageing infrastructure and growing demand are putting increasing pressure on Europe’s water resources.
The organisations argue that protecting water quality is essential to water resilience, as pollution reduces the amount of water available for drinking and other uses. Preventing pollution at source is also more effective and less costly than treating contaminated water later, with the costs of additional treatment ultimately falling on households and businesses.
The signatories call on the Commission to prioritise implementation and enforcement of existing EU water legislation through the upcoming European Water Initiative, rather than revising the WFD without clear evidence of the need for legislative change.
Our message is clear: protecting water resources and preventing pollution are essential to securing clean, affordable water for Europe.