W EC work on water reuse Stakeholders meeting - follow-up to public consultation 4/12/2014 Pavel MISIGA Head of Water Unit Directorate General for Environment.

WEC work on water reuse

Stakeholders meeting - follow-up to public consultation4/12/2014Pavel MISIGA

Head of Water Unit Directorate General for EnvironmentEuropean Commission

Why is water use a concern in Europe?• Balance between demand and availability has reached a critical

level in many areas of Europe (water scarcity) • More and more areas are affected by weather changes, in particular

less rain (droughts)• Climate change will almost certainly make the situation worse • More frequent and severe droughts expected across Europe and the

neighbouring countries• Total water abstraction in EU 247 billion m³/year

• 44% for energy production • 24% for agriculture • 17% for public water supply • 15% for industry

Business as usual scenario: Total abstraction will increase by 16% by 2030

Policy to help promote water efficiencyBlueprint 2012• Review of WFD implementation • Review of Water Scarcity & Droughts policy

implementation• Review of water resources vulnerability• Fitness Check of EU fresh water policy• EEA reports & studies

7 EAP Objective 2: to turn the EU into a resource-efficient, greener and more competitive low-carbon economy

Blueprint impact assessment 12 priority problems

• Lack of water pricing• Lack of metering• Lack of labeling of traded

goods• Land use/Agricultural

impacts (NWRM)• Inefficiency in

buildings/appliances

• Inefficient water infrastructure

• Lack of water re-use• Governance• Target setting• Drought management• Understanding costs and

benefits• Knowledge base

Blueprint objectives Voluntary Regulation Conditionality Funding

Efficient incentive water pricing

CIS Guidance on trading schemes by 2014

Enforcement of Art. 9 WFD (ongoing)

Ex-ante conditions under RD&C policy funds 2014

Metering take up Enforcement of Art. 9 WFD (ongoing)

Water use reduction in agriculture

Precondition for some irrigation projects under RD as of 2014

Reduction of illegal abstraction/impoundments

Apply GMES as of 2013

Possible EU initiative on inspections - 2013

Cross-compliance under CAP

Awareness of water consumption

Support voluntary labeling & certific. schemes

Maximisation of the use of NWRM (Green Infr.)

CIS Guidance by 2014 Greening of CAP pillar I as of 2014

S&C Funds & EIB loans

Efficient water appliances in buildings

EU Ecolabel & GPP criteria 2013

Eco-design Working Plan in 2012

Reduction of leakages Best practice/tools on SELL in 2013

S&C Funds & EIB loans

Maximisation of water reuse

Possible Regulation in 2015

S&C Funds & EIB loans

Improvement of governance

Peer review of RBMPs (2013 – 2016)

Blueprint objectives Voluntary Regulation Conditionality Funding

Implementation of water accounts, e-flows & target setting

CIS Guidance on WAs / E-flows & Target setting by 2014

Reduction of flood risk Through Green Infr. European Flood Awareness System

Flood Risk Management Plans by 2015

Reduction of drought risk

Through Green Infr. European Flood EDO in 2013-2014

Enforcement of WFD requirements (ongoing)

Better calculation of costs and benefits

CIS Guidance by 2014

Better knowledge base Upgrading WISE by 2015

Support to developing countries

Tackling pollution Report on pharmaceuticals & the environment 2013

Targeted enforcement of WFD, EQS/PSD, NID, UWWTD, IED …

Cross-cutting EIPs on Water and Agri as of 2013

Overall enforcement of WFD, EQS/PSD, NID, UWWTD, IED

Possible European Semester Recomm. 2013

CAP, S&C Funds & EIB loans

Water reuse – why?Alleviate water scarcityReduce demand on potable water supplies and

high quality sourcesSupplement conventional sourcesA valuable buffer against drought and water

shortage especially for industry and irrigationImprove operational efficiency; reduce energy

costsReduce nutrient discharge to the environmentReduce water stress on specific sectors

Treated wastewater reuse–current status• 946Mm3/year wastewater treated and reused in Europe

(2.4% of all treated wastewater)• Spain accounts for half of the current use• Reuse rates

• Cyprus (100%), • Greece, Spain, Italy (5% - 12%)

• Applications: • agriculture (75%) • environmental enhancement (8%), • industry use (6%), • groundwater recharge (6%)• urban uses (6%)

• Regulations/standards exist in many countries • mostly WHO-guided; • not harmonised at EU level

Treated wastewater reuse – benefits

• Viable only when it becomes a more economic alternative to other conventional supply options – link to water pricing

• Generates substantial savings to industry when it substitutes high-quality process water

• Increases the economic value of water• Substitutes potable water for non-potable

applications• A reliable drought proof source for both

agriculture and industry

Follow-up to the Blueprint• EC launched a support contract to address water reuse

at the EU level (Bio by Deloitte) • Scope of the study: reuse of treated urban wastewater &

reuse of industrial wastewater for external purposes• Analysis of the current situation on water reuse in

the EU (problem definition, baseline scenario, trends, etc.)• Assessment of social, economic and environmental

impacts, and the feasibility of the proposed policy options• Public and stakeholders consultation • Impact assessment of the selected policy option

• Duration: Sep 2013 – Dec 2014• Proposal of potential EU instrument(s) end of 2015

Potential EU-level measures• No action: no policy change • Non-binding measures aimed at improving: the

implementation/enforcement of pricing, controls of abstractions and integrated water management, promotion of upcoming ISO/CEN water reuse standards, promotion of risk-based approaches for regulating water reuse.

• Binding standards on water reuse and/or binding framework for water reuse practices on the basis of a risk-based approach in order to maximise water reuse, where necessary, and to provide a clear framework for managing health and environmental risks related to water reuse practices. This could encompass elements such as risk management plans, treatment standards, treatment process controls, application controls and water quality benchmarks, possible requirement to consider and/or establish targets on water reuse in the context of integrated water management where relevant (no EU-level target on water reuse), etc.

• Information, communication and knowledge enhancement measures including EU guidance development, knowledge sharing and awareness raising actions targeting the general public and the practitioners.

Next steps

Impact assessment of the identified policy options

Impact Assessment Roadmap – publication soonPublic consultation completed (30/7/2014 – 7/11/2014 (http://ec.europa.eu/environment/consultations/water_reuse_en.htm) – statistics already published & detailed analysis of responses to be published in the near futureCompletion of IA – 1 Quarter 2015EC Impact Assessment Board – June 2015Commission proposal of an EU-level instrument on water reuse (if justified) – end 2015

EC work on water reuse could be accessed at http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/blueprint/follow_up_en.htm

Water reuse team – EC DG ENVDagmar BEHRENDT KALJARIKOVA (C.1)[email protected] Thomas PETITGUYOT (C.1)[email protected] Christof MAINZ (C.2)[email protected]

Reuse of reclaimed water (2006)

Thank you for your attention !