Analytics, Ecology, Modern EU

 Currently, the practice of water reuse is established only in a few EU states and it is deployed much below its potential. The newly agreed rules will facilitate and stimulate the uptake of this beneficial practice, which can ensure a more predictable supply of clean water for the EU farmers and help them to adapt to climate change and mitigate its impacts. By setting minimum requirements, the new rules will ensure the safety of the practice and increase citizens' confidence in agricultural produce in the internal EU market. This harmonised approach will also facilitate the smooth functioning of the internal market for agricultural produce and create new business opportunities for operators and technology providers.

http://www.baltic-course.com/eng/modern_eu/?doc=152874.  

Commission’s opinion

The Regulation proposed by the Commission aims to alleviate water scarcity across the EU, in the context of adapting to climate change. It will ensure that treated wastewater intended for agricultural irrigation is safe, protecting citizens and the environment.

Commissioner for the Environment, Oceans and Fisheries, Virginijus Sinkevičius underlined that present “provisional agreement” provided the member states and the EU with a powerful tool to tackle some of the challenges posed by climate change. “Together with water savings and efficiency measures, the use of reclaimed water in the agriculture sector can play an important part in addressing water stress and drought, while fully guaranteeing citizens’ safety”, he added.   

The proposal delivers on one of the commitments of the Circular Economy Action Plan (published in December 2015), and completes the existing EU legal framework on water and foodstuffs. It also contributes to implementing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs in the EU (in particular SDG-6 on water and sanitation), as well as contributing to climate change mitigation and adaptation.

See: Communication on “Closing the loop - An EU action plan for the Circular Economy” in: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52015DC0614

Urban wastewaters

Under the new legislation, treated urban wastewaters, which have already undergone certain treatments under the rules of the “Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive” from 1991 (in effect from June 1993), would be subjected to further treatment to meet the new minimum quality parameters and thus become suitable for use in agriculture.

Note: “The member states shall by 31 December 1993 establish a programme for the implementation of this Directive. Member states shall by 30 June 1994 provide the Commission with information on the programme. Member states shall, if necessary, provide the Commission by 30 June every two years with an update of this information. The Commission shall every two years review and assess the information received” (art.17).

See: Council Directive 91/271/EEC of 21 May 1991 concerning urban waste-water treatment, in:

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:31991L0271; and  

https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:31991L0271&from=EN

Besides the harmonised minimum requirements, the new legislation also sets out harmonised minimum monitoring requirements; risk management provisions to assess and address potential additional health risks and possible environmental risks; and a permitting procedure and provisions on transparency, whereby key information about any water reuse project would be made publicly available.

The provisional agreement now has to be formally approved by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU. Following approval, the Regulation will be published in the EU's Official Journal and enter into force 20 days later.

More information in: 

- Water reuse proposal and annexes; 

- Water reuse policy page; 

- Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive; 

- Implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan policy page