Water supply and sanitation (WSS) in the European Union (EU) is the responsibility of each member state, but in the 21st century union-wide policies have come into effect.
The institutional organisation of public water supply and sanitation does not fall under the purview of the EU, but remains a prerogative of each member state.
The added words mean that when the Spanish definition is applied to Article 3 of the Directive the municipal sewer and drainage networks are excluded.
The directive also allows the establishment of less sensitive coastal areas, for which primary treatment would be sufficient, if it can be shown that there is no adverse impact on the environment (Art.
It has been estimated that in 2004 about 34 percent of the pollutant load from wastewater that falls under the scope of the directive is discharged into sensitive areas.
The report noted that the wastewater treatment situation in Europe is still very unsatisfactory and that none of the deadlines has been met by all member countries.
The reason is that much of the nitrogen pollution comes from non-point sources in agriculture, and the still insufficient nutrient removal by wastewater treatment plants.
Even for non-sensitive areas, although the picture was less bleak, only 69% of the discharge received treatment and the 2000 deadline was not met by most member countries.
As the directive was adopted in 1991, its challenge will be to integrate the commitments taken with the Paris agreement as the wastewater treatment sector consumes 1% of the global total energy consumption.
These features have been mainly overlooked due to the over-riding objective for utilities to meet existing and future needs for wastewater treatment.
Member States shall ensure that such drinking water: In setting contaminant levels the directive applies the precautionary principle.
No EU country achieves full compliance with the directive, mainly because of the geological nature of its soil and agricultural activity.
The issue is substantial as in average 23% of the treated water in the EU is leaked, with some countries facing leakage rates as high as 60%.
In addition, member states have to analyse the characteristics of each river basin and have to carry out an economic analysis of water use.
Other elements of the directive, such as the protection of groundwater and cost recovery rules, may be more difficult to implement, especially in Southern member countries that have extensive irrigated agriculture.
Since the establishment of this knowledge base is a precondition for Basin Plans, this delay jeopardises progress of the implementation of the entire Directive.
The Industrial Revolution and the construction of modern industrialised conurbations in Europe was dependent upon managed water supplies.
Since 2007 this web-based service platform provides the public with information about ongoing research projects, policies, data, and reports connected to water in the EU.
The target group of this online information system is researchers and professionals dealing with water related issues within the framework of the EU.
The platform helps to store and administer data and output handed in by member states and agencies connected to the reporting requirements of the European Commission.
An international Task Force was established later on to support mainly states of countries in the Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.
Furthermore, they are working on indicators and monitoring systems in those countries to collect data of water utilities to check their performance.
However, especially the new member states located in Eastern Europe are in need of enormous investments to ensure the sustainability of the water infrastructure.
[31] The European Union needs to make extra investments of €90 billion in the water and waste sector to meet its 2030 climate and energy goals.
In the European Union, an estimated 60–70% of wastewater's potential value is still untapped (in heat, energy, nutrients, minerals, metals, chemicals).
[36][37] According to an EU-funded study, "Europe and the Mediterranean countries are lagging behind" California, Japan, and Australia "in the extent to which reuse is being taken up."
[10][40] The indirect potable reuse (IDP) project in Wulpen, Belgium, discharges recycled water to an unconfined dune aquifer.
As a result, since May 2004, only the RO permeate after UV disinfection is injected into the aquifer with addition of sodium hydroxide to adjust the pH.