Water quality in Europe is substandard and therefore standards need to be tightened, says the European Commission. It is proposed to include new substances in the list of pollutants that may only occur in water in very small quantities. Noteworthy is the proposal to let polluting manufacturers contribute to cleaning the water.

The proposal is part of a series of tougher environmental regulations for air and water quality unveiled in Brussels. These should ensure that air and water in the EU are no longer polluted from 2050 onwards. This makes the task even bigger for the Netherlands, which already scores poorly in the area of ​​water quality.

These environmental ambitions are not new, but part of the EU’s major climate plans. According to the Commission, the stricter environmental regulations are necessary in order to actually achieve this goal (no more pollution by 2050). “That means we have to act today. Our proposals to tackle air and water pollution are an essential part of this puzzle,” says European Commissioner Frans Timmermans.

Fewer pollutants

According to the European Water Framework Directive, all ground and surface water in Europe must be of good quality by 2027. Streams, ditches, lakes and rivers must meet several requirements. For example, there are regulations on water quality for plants and animals as well as limit values ​​for pollutants. According to the Commission, the list of pollutants must be expanded to include 24 new substances that have to be filtered out of the water. One such substance is the much-discussed chemical group PFAS.

Countries must determine how much of these substances are present in their waters. Subsequently, the amount of these pollutants must be reduced.

Netherlands at the bottom of the list

The current rules for water quality are about 30 years old. Although a lot has improved in the meantime, there is still a lot to criticize about the water quality. This is especially true for the Netherlands, who are dangling at the bottom of the European rankings. Virtually no surface water meets the standards. Minister Harbers (Infrastructure and Environment) warned this summer that this could have nitrogen-like consequences, with projects and developments getting in the way.

The Union of Water Boards, which shares responsibility for Dutch water quality, welcomes these proposals from the European Commission. “It is important for public health and the environment that the quality of our water really improves,” says a spokesman.

The water boards recognize that the stricter rules will make it even more difficult for the Netherlands to reach the target. “This means that we, but also the cabinet and other parties, have to tighten up the plans for this.”

polluter pays

The European Commission wants the polluting pharmaceutical and cosmetics companies to contribute to the rising costs of water purification. For example, Brussels is considering introducing what is known as “extended producer responsibility” for pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturers.

The Union of Water Boards thinks it’s a good idea: “This would be an important measure that would be necessary to deal with emissions of these substances in a fair manner. It encourages producers to think more about the consequences of putting these substances into the environment and to take action, that is, action to contribute to affordable access to clean water and a clean living environment for all.”

rising costs

It is becoming increasingly difficult for water treatment companies to remove all contaminants from the water. Microplastics and drug residues in particular are difficult to filter out of the water.

Wastewater treatment costs in the Netherlands amounted to 1.1 billion euros in 2021. This amount increases every year due to inflation, for example, but also because cleaning costs more and more money. Households and companies contribute to the cleaning costs via the water management fee.

The Commission’s plan will now be presented to EU countries and the European Parliament. If a blow is dealt to the new environmental rules for clean water, they are set to be phased in and applied across the EU from 2040.