“We have taken water for an inexhaustible resource”: the worrying state of water in Belgium and Europe

“We have taken water for an inexhaustible resource”: the worrying state of water in Belgium and Europe


The first of these reports, which concerns fresh water, indicates that the average state of health of EU surface water masses is critical. Indeed, 39.5 % of these bodies of water only reach a good ecological condition and 26.8 % a good chemical condition.

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In Belgium, the results are even less brilliant: only 27.4 % of surface waters have good ecological condition. Although it is a slight improvement compared to the previous measure which dated from 2015 (26.2 %), nitrates and pesticides as well as population density remains worrying. In addition, all surface water has poor chemical condition, mainly due to the presence of mercury, PFAS and metals such as lead and cadmium.

As for the water tables, the commission fears to see their quantity decrease due to the increase in extraction and almost half of the groundwater is still in poor chemical condition.

Very large quantities of the 4 most dangerous pfas in ittre water

Necessary actions against pollution

To combat the scarcity of water and drought in the EU, the Commission recommends that its member states take a series of measures. Among them, respect for pollution limits and more particularly of pollution linked to agriculture. The EU also urges its Member States to implement additional measures to combat chemical pollution, to promote the reuse of water and to increase efficiency in order to prevent the overexploitation of natural water sources and reduce droughts.

“We need water to live, produce foodstuffs and ensure the competitiveness of our businesses. However, in a hundred years, the situation will be very different from that we know today: droughts and floods will be more Many of the European territory is threatened by desertification. […] We have long believed that water was an inexhaustible service but we have to change mentality and integrate the fact that water is threatened by climate change “alert Jessika Roswall, European environmental commissioner, resilience in water and the competitive circular economy.

Increased frequency and severity of floods

In terms of floods, the evaluation of the implementation of a European directive “shows notable improvements” In risk management, alignment of objectives and measures taken by states and taking into account the challenges posed by climate change. However, most of the plans provided by Member States do not include quantitative objectives. Which makes the Commission say, in a context where the frequency and severity of the floods increase, that the Member States “must strengthen their planning capacities and administrative capacity and invest in a proper manner in flood prevention”. “To achieve this, the restoration of ecosystems and nature -based solutions, as well as preparation measures such as early alert systems and awareness, are essential”, underlines the institution.

Europeans undertake to do more together, and faster, in the field of defense

“Belgium must improve water quality, tackle chemical pollution, improve its flood management objectives and flood risks”insisted Jessika Roswall. The country must also invest in clear solutions to adapt to climate change, the commissioner still estimates.

“Limited” efforts to preserve marine circles

Other essential water sources: marine environments. Here again, the EU notes that progress has been made, in particular with regard to the management of marine waste. But these remain limited. From then on, “Member States are encouraged to do more to achieve a good ecological state of all EU’s marine waters and to protect the basis of resources on which economic and social activities linked to the marine environment depended on sustainably “pleads the commission. This encourages twenty-seven to implement measures to better protect and restore marine biodiversity and reduce pollution by nutrients, chemicals and underwater noise.

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