The European Commission has reached a provisional agreement on its proposals to update the list of water pollutants and strengthen water resilience.
The revision ensures that the lists of water pollutants are aligned with the latest scientific advice and that new substances will be monitored and more strictly controlled in both surface waters and groundwater.
Three pieces of EU legislation will be adapted accordingly: the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standard Directive and the Groundwater Directive.
This ensures the EU will strengthen its water resilience – marking an important contribution towards its zero-pollution ambition.
Which substances have been added to the list of water pollutants?
New substances with well-documented harmful effects on the environment and human health will be added to the lists of water pollutants. These include:
- A strict new EU-wide quality standard for the sum of 25 PFAS (“forever chemicals) in surface waters, including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA).
- The same strict standard for the sum of the 4 most harmful PFAS in groundwater. A broader sum of 20 PFAS, in line with the Drinking Water Directive, will also be monitored in groundwater, which is the main source of drinking water in many Member States.
- A range of pesticides and pesticide degradation products.
- Bisphenol A, a plasticiser and component of plastic packaging.
- Mandatory testing on the effect of endocrine disruptors.
- Some pharmaceuticals that are used as painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, and some antibiotics.
Furthermore, the agreement ensures that six substances, which no longer pose an EU-wide risk, are moved to the lists of pollutants of national concern, thanks to action taken to ban or restrict their use. This decision has been made in line with the latest scientific evidence.
New simplification measures streamline water quality monitoring
Additionally, the legislation introduces certain short-term exemptions to the principle of non-deterioration of water quality and quantity.
Member States will be able to apply a simplified procedure under certain conditions if pollution does not increase, thereby avoiding compromises to environmental or health protection.
It also reduces administrative burdens for Member States by streamlining reporting requirements and facilitating the sharing of monitoring data between Member States and the Commission through digital tools.
The new rules also strengthen transboundary cooperation, ensuring mandatory downstream river basin warnings in the event of incidents.
Next steps: Formally adopting the legislation
The European Parliament and the Council will now have to formally adopt the new Directive, which will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU.
Member States will then need to implement their requirements and transpose the amendments to the three relevant Directives – the Water Framework Directive, the Environmental Quality Standard Directive, and the Groundwater Directive – by 22 December 2027.
Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy, stated: “Today’s agreement is an important step to achieve cleaner water for all Europeans. We are taking a significant step forward to reduce pollution in water from PFAS, pesticides, and other hazardous chemicals.
“This is in line with the ambition set out in the European Water Resilience Strategy to make Europe more water resilient. Clean water is good for people, good for the environment and good for our economy: an investment that will pay us back many times.”
