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For 50 years, EurEau has worked to ensure that people across Europe have access to safe, clean drinking water and effective wastewater services, while protecting the environment and recovering valuable resources.

But water services face growing pressures from climate change, pollution and increasing demands on already stressed water resources. Water is also a matter of Europe’s security, resilience and competitiveness.

In this anniversary film, we highlight why strong EU support for the water sector is essential. Sustained investment is needed to modernise infrastructure, drive innovation and ensure reliable, affordable water services for everyone. Equally important is tackling pollution at source and making polluters pay, helping to protect water resources and keep the cost of treatment under control.

As EurEau celebrates 50 years of representing Europe’s water services, our message is clear: securing Europe’s water future requires commitment, investment and collective action.

Water Matters. Let’s waterproof our future, together.

Analysing 30 representative samples from eight EU countries, the study assessed their agronomic benefits and the presence of a wide range of contaminants, using standardised sampling methods and accredited laboratories. The findings confirm the value of biosolids as a source of organic matter and essential nutrients, helping to improve soil health, water retention and carbon sequestration. While a range of organic and inorganic contaminants, including PFAS and pharmaceuticals, were detected, most concentrations were below relevant regulatory limits. The study also found that biosolids quality is broadly similar across different treatment plant sizes, challenging the assumption that smaller facilities produce higher-quality material. The Observatory identifies priority contaminants for future monitoring and recommends standardised analytical methods, stronger source control and a risk-based approach to monitoring and action. Together, its findings provide an important evidence base for improving biosolids quality and promoting the responsible recovery of valuable resources from urban wastewater.

EurEau and four other European organisations representing water services and services of general interest have called on the European Commission not to revise the Water Framework Directive (WFD), warning that weakening existing protections could put Europe’s water security at risk.

The Snapshot shows a sector investing more to meet growing demands, but higher spending alone is not enough. Europe needs investment that delivers better infrastructure, sustainable funding and effective action on water scarcity and pollution.

Water resilience depends on making investment count, funding services sustainably and protecting the water resources on which people and the economy depend.

Enhancing our cloud and AI capacity must not go to the detriment of local water resilience

The EU’s proposed procurement framework treats drinking water and wastewater differently, despite their similar operational characteristics.
EurEau calls for wastewater treatment to be recognised as an autonomous utility activity, bringing the whole water sector under a unified procurement regime.

Targeted public consultation – draft guidance on the application of the ‘do no significant harm’ principle under the 2028-2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)

EurEau calls for a voluntary, locally driven approach to water reuse, recognising wastewater operators as strategic partners in promoting water reuse in line with the EU Water Resilience Strategy while protecting drinking water resources. It also calls for full cost recovery for water reuse, and sees no need to extend the current Water Reuse Regulation to additional uses, including industrial reuse.

As climate extremes intensify across Europe, we as a group of professional associations, local authorities, non-governmental organisations, and financial service providers, urge you to use the upcoming European Framework for Climate Resilience to make nature-based solutions the first line of defence against the worsening effects of climate change.

These recommendations call for an enabling, risk-aware approach to digitalisation, focused on reliability, security and continuity of essential water services. They emphasise readiness, good governance, data quality and proportionate implementation, while recognising both the opportunities and risks for water utilities.