Brussels: New legislation aimed at strengthening the protection of water in the European Union has officially entered into force. Today, the Directive revising rules for surface and groundwaters marks a significant step towards making the EU more water-resilient and reducing water pollution. This revision, proposed by the European Commission in 2022, ensures that the lists of water pollutants are aligned with the latest scientific advice, and that new substances will be monitored and more strictly controlled in surface waters and groundwater.
According to Emirates News Agency, three pieces of EU legislation will be adapted accordingly: the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standards Directive, and the Groundwater Directive. The updated lists now include certain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, known as 'forever chemicals'), pesticides, and pharmaceuticals, all of which have well-documented harmful effects on the environment or human health. For the first time, microplastics will also be addressed, alongside indicators of antimicrobial resistance and sensitive groundwater ecosystems.
The revision aims to reduce the administrative burden for Member States by streamlining reporting requirements and facilitating the sharing of monitoring data between Member States and the Commission through digital tools. Additionally, the new rules bolster transboundary cooperation by ensuring mandatory downstream river basin warnings after incidents.
The legislation introduces a definition of non-deterioration and allows for two types of activities to proceed under strict safeguards. These activities include improvement works such as bridge reconstruction or flood-protection works that may have only temporary impacts, and activities that relocate pollution without increasing it, such as in construction dewatering or sediment dredging.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, remarked, "The revised water law will help reduce pollution in our waters from PFAS, pesticides, and other harmful chemicals. This is exactly what we set out to do in the European Water Resilience Strategy - to make Europe more resilient in terms of water. Clean water matters for people's health, for our environment, and for our economy. It is one of the smartest investments we can make, and it will pay off many times over."
Member States are required to implement the directives and transpose the amendments to the three relevant Directives by December 22, 2027.
