The European Parliament and the Council agreed on a proposal from the Commission to update the list of water pollutants in accordance with new scientific advice, as part of the European Green Deal plan.
The Commission has been working on the proposal since 2022. The agreement will make changes to three existing EU laws: the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standard Directive and the Groundwater Directive.
“Today’s agreement is an important step to achieve cleaner water for all Europeans,” commented Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, adding that “clean water is good for people, good for the environment and good for our economy: an investment that will pay us back many times.”
The update will add new substances to the list of those that are harmful to human health and the environment. Among others, 25 forever chemicals are present in surface waters, and four are found in groundwater, including pesticides and their degradation products. Additionally, 20 forever chemicals will be closely monitored for their effects on groundwater. New limits for pollutants already listed have also been added.
The new directive also includes short-term exemptions for monitoring the non-degradation of water quality and quantity. This will provide member states with a simpler procedure for monitoring water quality if pollution levels remain stable. Member states will have to implement the new directive by the end of 2027.
