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Environment
Road spurt water beside traffic cones
Photo by GioRez via Adobe Stock
Poorly managed water

Water is essential for our food, the economy, and ecosystems. How can we manage it well so that everyone has their fair share?

Our economy relies on a steady supply of water. We face problems when water stocks are depleted faster than they can be replenished. Global freshwater demand is predicted to exceed supply by a staggering 40% by 2030.

Water is mismanaged when it is wasted, polluted, over-extracted, or inefficiently distributed. This can lead to the depletion of water sources and damages the environment. Some communities also do not have access to safe and clean water. Decades of mismanagement have pushed the global water cycle out of balance for the first time in human history.

We need a new, integrated approach to efficiently manage water across sectors, which maximises welfare without jeopardising ecosystems, helping us to become a #WaterWise EU. 

How water is (mis)managed in Europe

  • Almost 10% of groundwaters are affected by unsustainably high levels of water withdrawals
  • Only 2.4% of wastewater is reused, with big differences per country
  • Almost a quarter of treated water is lost during distribution

What's the solution?

  • Vegetables hydroponics | Photo by piyasuk via Adobe Stock
    Agriculture

    Agriculture and energy are the biggest users of water in the EU. And 25% of the world's freshwater is used to produce food that’s never eaten! Inefficient irrigation methods, such as flood irrigation or excessive use of water for crops, lead to water wastage and inefficient use. Healthy soils are champions in storing water. Improving our soil health is good for agriculture and helps to prevent or decrease flash floods as water infiltrates much better than in compacted soils. 

    What’s the solution?

    • improving irrigation techniques through smart meters, re-using treated water
    • using practices like crop rotation, selecting water-efficient crops, and enhancing soil health
    • integrating agro-ecological methods such as agroforestry and permanent pastures
  • EU energy labels (home appliance store)
    Energy

    Our green and digital transition comes with a water bill. Water is used to produce electricity, bioenergy, hydrogen, fossil fuels and for cooling in nuclear and thermal power plants. Cooling power plants is responsible for 32% of water withdrawals in Europe. The transition to low-emission energy sources needs to reduce pressure on scarce water resources.

    What’s the solution? 

    • moving away from water-intensive energy generation and focusing on alternatives like wind, solar, and geothermal power
    • conserving energy to save water
    • enhancing energy efficiency
    • using advanced cooling technologies
  • Old big drink water pipes joined with new blue valves | Photo by muratart via Adobe Stock
    Improving infrastructure

    Inadequate infrastructure for storing, treating and distributing water prevents effective water management. Leaky pipes, outdated treatment facilities, and insufficient reservoirs contribute to water loss and inefficiency. On average, 23% of treated water is lost during distribution in the EU. 

    What’s the solution?

    • fix leaking infrastructure
    • implement smart water metering
    • integrate water efficiency
  • Woman reading the water meter | Photo by Evgen via Adobe Stock
    Recognise the true value of water

    When water is not priced at its true value, it can lead to wasteful usage and hinder efforts to promote conservation and responsible water management. Under updated EU rules on treating urban wastewater, the Polluter Pays Principle with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) applies to producers of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics that pollute waters. This means they need to pay for their removal. 

     What’s the solution? 

    • an affordable price for water, without incentivizing excessive water use 
    • targeted support for those who need it
    • phase out of subsidies leading to unsustainable uses of water
    • integrate water efficiency
    • systematic consideration of applying the polluters pays principle through extended producer responsibility 

How much water is needed to make a cotton T-shirt?

1. 10 litres
2. 200 litres
3. 500 litres
4. 2,700 litres

Answer: it takes 2,700 litres of fresh water to make a single cotton shirt. This is enough to meet one person’s drinking needs for 2.5 years!

Did you know?

How the EU is taking action

EU water laws are a cornerstone of environmental protection. They protect water resources, fresh and saltwater ecosystems, and ensure our drinking and bathing water are clean. But many of the current EU laws are not being adequately implemented. 78% of Europeans think that the EU should do more.

Discover the EU’s comprehensive laws on water, from clean drinking water to clean seas and rivers.

Managing water resources more efficiently and facilitating water reuse in the EU.

New EU rules on drinking including measures to reduce water leakages

Actions on the ground

At a Hidria factory – one of Slovenia’s largest automotive corporations – LIFE HIDAQUA is recycling industrial wastewater.The main objective of LIFE HIDAQUA is to demonstrate a sustainable water management approach in high water-demanding industries such as the automotive industry by applying the zero-liquid-discharge and the zero-waste concepts.

The LIFE Plants for Plants project aimed to introduce new organic biostimulants into conventional agriculture. The goal was to prove that biostimulants can reduce irrigation and chemical use to boost crop production.

The LIFE Environment Award recognises innovative projects that contribute to the protection and restoration of the environment. At the ceremony, Mihhail Kõlvart, Mayor of Tallinn - European Green Capital 2023 - presented LIFE Plants for Plants as the winning LIFE project in the Environment category.

29.3 billion electronic devices are expected online by 2030, up from 18.4 billion in 2018. What does this increase in internet use mean for water consumption?
1. More people looking up ways to reduce their water consumption.
2. Devices will need to be supported by data centres all over the world which require cooling.
3. Nothing, they’re not related

Answer: 2. The water consumption of retail and hyperscale data centres ranges from 68,000 litres to 1.7 million litres per day, respectively.