“Determination of cross-cutting driving forces for environmental topics such as

water, biodiversity, resource use and waste”

Brussels 6 September 2006

Water and water use in Europe: Policies, targets,

problems and driving forces

Mats G E SvenssonLUCSUS, Lund University, Sweden

2006-09-06

• Main policy goals and targets• Water availability• Water quality• Current threats and trends• Climate change and water stress• Driving forces• The Water Framework Directive• Conclusions

Main policy goals and targets• Wealth creation• Social cohesion• Environmental protection• Sustainability• Intergenerational justice

• Water Directive Framework - Restore every river, lake, groundwater, wetland and other water body across the Community to a 'good status' by 2015

Water Framework Directive

• In place since December 2000• Integrated water management approach• River basin concept• Restore every river, lake, groundwater, wetland

and other water body across the Community to a 'good status' by 2015

• Will replace several older pieces of legislation• Delays of the full implementation of the Urban

waste water directive

Integration of policies

• The existing requirements of the Water Framework Directive,

• The proposed “daughter Directive” on ground water (expected to be adopted before the end of 2006),

• The future proposal on priority substances,• the work of the European Marine Monitoring and

Assessment (EMMA) working group under the EU Marine Strategy

• EU Bathing water directive• EU Drinking water directive

Water as a natural resource

Adapted from Falkenmark 2005

Drivers• Agricultural Land use,

Irrigation, Use of Fertilizers and Manure, Use of Pesticides and Herbicides, Disturbance of Natural Vegetation

• Urban Waste, Primary Water Consumption, Water use for Electricity,

• Urbanisation and Urban Sprawls, Transportation

• Water use for Cooling and for Cleaning, Release of Waste

• Dam Construction, Changing Water Levels of the River, Changing the Course of the River, Water use for CoolingRelease of Waste through Energy Production.

Water availability

Water quality

• Biochemical Oxygene Demand (BOD)• Pesticide concentrations• Nitrogen concentrations• Bacterial concentration, E. Coli and other

Point source and Non-point source pollution

• Point source pollution– decreased significantly

during the past 30 years

– improved purification of urban wastewater

• Non-point source pollution– diffuse sources has

generally remained at a constant level

– Mainly from intense agriculture

Nitrogen levels in Europe

Trends• Point sources discharges of both nitrogen and

phosphorus have decreased significantly during the past 30 years,

• Diffuse source losses has generally remained at a constant level

• Large reduction of phosphorus, due to the previously very high share of point source discharges.

• The loss from diffuse sources has become relatively more significant as a consequence of the reduced point source discharges.– Due to improved purification of urban wastewater. – Measures to reduce the nitrogen surplus on agricultural land are

now beginning to show results

Climate change and water stress

• Increased precipitation in N Europe• Decreased precipitation in S Europe• More drought periods• Increased frequency of flooding events• Higher irrigation demands (+20% 2030)

Flood events in Europe

Future water availability

Status of Europe’s Water • Areas of progress

– Ecological quality of rivers– Pollution by oxygen-consuming substances and phosphorus– Pollution by hazardous substances– Water abstraction– Oil spills– Available information

• Areas of no progress– Nitrate pollution– Water abstraction for irrigation, energy use and tourism– Pesticides

Source: Europe’s water: An indicator-based assessment, topic report No 1/2003, EEA, Copenhagen

Conclusions

• Major activities driving water consumption in Europe:– agriculture (irrigation, pollution), – industrial production (process and cooling water)– household consumption (potable water)

• ¨Major threats of the water sources of Europe:– Non-point source contamination, – over-consumption and irrigation, – changes in water regimes due to climate change

Thank you

Questions can be directed to: mats.svensson@lucsus.lu.se

EU research initiatives6th Framework Programme for Research andTechnological Development: Following the evaluation of the 3rd call for proposals of the “Global Change and Ecosystems” thematic priority(FP6-2004-Global-3) two water-relevant Integrated Projects (IP) with an EC contribution of €28 million and seven Specific Targeted ResearchProjects (STREPS) with an EC contribution of €17,8 million, have been selected for funding.The first IP project “TECHNEAU: Technology enabled universal access to safe water” challenges the ability of traditional systems and technology solutions for drinking water supply to cope with present and future global threats and opportunities. It therefore aims to rethink the current drinking water supply options and demonstrate new and improved technologies for the whole water supply chain. The second IP “SWITCH: Sustainable Water Management Improves Tomorrow’s Cities’ Health” deals with the existing limitations, un-sustainability factors and risks of conventional urban water management. It aims to develop tested scientific, technological and socio-economic solutions.

EU research initiativesSeven Specific Targeted Research Projects (STREPS) with an EC contribution of €17,8 million, have been selected for funding. The STREPS projects are dealing with the development of innovative technologies for alternative water sources:

•“RECLAIM WATERWater reclamation technologies for safe artificial groundwater recharge” and •“GABARDINEGroundwater artificial recharge based on alternative sources of water: advanced integrated technologies and management”; the development of the membrane bioreactor technology: •“AMADEUS-Accelerate membrane development for urban sewage purification” and •“EUROMBRAMembrane bioreactor technology”; municipal sewage sludge treatment, disposal and re-use: •“SUSAN- Sustainable and Safe Re-use of Municipal Sewage Sludge for Nutrient Recovery” and •“REMOVALS-Reduction, modification and valorisation of sludge”; integrated water resources management case studies in twinned catchments/river basins from Europe and from developing countries: •“TWINLATIN-Twinning European and Latin-American River Basins for Research Enabling Sustainable Water Resources Management”