Safe and cheap access to water for all Europeans

When we turn on the tap, we rarely think about where the water comes from, or where it goes afterwards. Water seems limitless, and we often forget it is one of our most valuable resources.

We drink good quality water, but for how long?

The quality of tap water is high in Europe, in particular when compared to some other regions in the world. Almost 100% of drinking water provided by major suppliers is safe to drink across the EU.

However, with climate change, a growing population and an increased use of chemicals, we are facing serious environmental challenges to maintaining clean and healthy water for people’s use.

Pollution and scarcity

Water pollution has its origins in agriculture, industry and households. It occurs with accidents such as chemical spills, natural events such as volcanic eruptions or from situations when rain falls on roads, driveways, parking lots, rooftops and other paved surfaces that do not allow water to soak into the ground.

But in Europe we also have to deal with water scarcity. It was estimated that, by 2007, at least 11% of Europe's population and 17% of its territory had been affected by water scarcity, putting the cost of droughts in Europe over the past thirty years at 100 billion euro. The water situation will deteriorate further in Europe if temperatures keep rising because of climate change.

safeguarding our water

European legislators are determined to find solutions to further improve the situation in the EU.

Changes to the original Drinking Water Directive, responding directly to the first-ever successful European Citizens' Initiative "Right2Water", are being discussed in the European Parliament as we speak. The adoption of a report this week represents a big step towards improving access to safe drinking water for all Europeans.

Right2Water: The voice of citizens

"Right2Water" is an initiative that gathered 1.8 million signatures in support of better access to safe drinking water for all Europeans.

It calls for EU legislation implementing the human right to water and sanitation as recognised by the United Nations, and promoting the provision of water and sanitation as essential public services for all.

A revised proposal by the Commission to a big extent already addresses demands put forward by the petitioners, but adds other areas of improvement to the proposal as well.

What is new?

The revised proposal additionally focuses on four crucial areas:

1. Drinking water quality parameters: we believe the parameters set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to measure the quality of water provide the necessary human health safeguards. Therefore, we do not believe it is necessary to adopt stricter rules (as proposed by the Commission) for checking the quality of water in Member States.
2. Letting Member States retain responsibility for compliance with water quality standards: once ambitious quality standards have been established, compliance with those standards is key. We believe Member States should retain responsibility for enforcing these minimum quality requirements.
3. Endorsing fully use of the risk-based approach: this relates to better water management in order to prevent the risk of pollution as early as possible. Responsibilities should be shared between the various stakeholders responsible for water (the state, competent authorities, water suppliers, those responsible for pollution or the risk of pollution, citizens).
4. Improving transparency and information for consumers: we are working towards ensuring that information concerning water quality and how it is provided to consumers, will be comprehensible, relevant and easily accessible.

What is next?

The European Parliament adopted this legislation on 23 October. Now, the ball is in the Member States' court. The sooner they agree on their position, the sooner the legislation can be implemented across Europe.

The EPP Group thinks everyone should have access to clean and good quality water.

"We are doing our utmost to make it as affordable and safe as possible for everyone," says Michel Dantin MEP, author of the report in the European Parliament.

After the legislation is implemented in Member States, the countries will deal with the issue of affordable access to water at national level, deciding which exact type of measures to be implemented on their own.