On 4 June, the European Commission presented its strategy for water resilience. With this strategy, the Commission places water high on the European agenda.
Vewin welcomes the broader perspective on water resilience, in which water quality and water quantity are rightly seen as inseparably linked. The emphasis on cross-border cooperation and the downstream effects of upstream interventions is also important for the Netherlands. As a delta, the Netherlands is highly dependent on neighboring countries and the influence they exert on water quality and quantity.
Missed opportunities in tackling pollution
Although the Commission does mention control at source, it lacks a clear, ambitious line regarding PFAS. The drinking water sector believes that PFAS have no place at all in the environment and drinking water sources. Vewin advocates for a swift and complete ban on PFAS in Europe.
The strategy also focuses strongly on reducing water consumption and leakage. Given the high leakage losses in some countries, this is understandable, but it is essential to assess the situation on a country-by-country basis. In the Netherlands, additional leakage measures would have little effect, given the already very high efficiency of our drinking water network. In terms of managing drinking water consumption, the Netherlands already has a National Action Plan on Drinking Water Savings.
Read Vewin’s position on the Water Resilience Strategy
Read Vewin’s position on PFAS