Hans Goossens, President’s Editorial, October 2022

Dear Water Europe friends,

A very successful edition of Water Knowledge Europe concluded last week. This event brought a great vibe with participants meeting again in person,  for some of them even for the first time, after all the online meetings of the last years. Networking, discussing, and all the event’s activities undoubtedly strengthened our relations. Even if we strongly believe in the importance of digital and hybrid meetings, we could clearly experience that they are not a replacement for physical meetings but only a complementary way to work together.

Our Working Groups meetings also took place in Brussels, and it was great to see people sitting together and advancing their work. These physical meetings gave a boost to the Working Groups’ developments and outputs. We observed a good interrelation between the different Working groups by exchanging of ideas, developing of synergies, and co-creating on all fronts.

This year, we also organised the Ambassadors Summit, the day before WKE2022, to create awareness of the significance of our ambassadors’ role. One of their strengths is that they come from different backgrounds, roles and expertise, bringing so much value to our everyday function. This summit served to acknowledge their important contribution to our mission, to listen to their needs, and to gather their insights on our programmes’ work.

Another important element that this edition of Water Knowledge Europe brought forward is the value of diversity and gender integration in research and innovation. The workshop organised on the topic was very insightful. We are living in a diverse world, and diversity is crucial from a small team to a big organisation. The strongest teams are those where the members complement each other and bring together differences is in gender, age, religion, culture. Still today, there is a long way to go to reach global gender equality (SDG N°5); water availability plays an important role here and can contribute to realising it. Every day in Africa, women dedicate hours, sacrificing their education and jobs, to collect water for their families. This example underlines the role that water has in our lives and how much is linked to all aspects of our society.

I would like to close this editorial with the great news that Water Europe has received official accreditation for its participation to the UN Water Conference 2023, happening in March 2023 in New York. This is a strong recognition for us and our members. It’s also a responsibility and opportunity to make the most out of this accreditation and our presence there. For this, we have already started working diligently to prepare our contribution for this important occasion!

Interview with Jan Dusík, Government Plenipotentiary for International Climate Negotiations & Deputy Minister of Environment, EU Czech Presidency

Could you please tell us what are the main priorities of the Czech presidency and how they are linked with key water-related issues?

The war in Ukraine has significantly affected the priorities of the Czech Presidency, but the environment remains an important priority. Water protection cannot be addressed without considering other areas, it is closely linked to adaptation to climate change, restoring ecological services to the landscape and so on. The Czech Presidency places great emphasis on landscape restoration along the land-water-forest line. A conference on this topic was organised in Prague in September 2022 and the outcome is the Prague Appeal, which summarises the main prerequisites for successful adaptation measures, including water retention in the landscape, and calls on politicians and the public to pay more attention to them. At the EU Council, the Czech Presidency has been focusing intensively on the rules to drive down deforestation and  on the regulation on nature restoration. On 26 October 2022, the European Commission published revisions to the EU Water Framework Directive and the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. The first phase of the negotiations will be a priority for CZ PRES. Drought and water scarcity are also topics at COP27, where Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala will take part in a panel debate on ensuring sufficient water resources.

The Czech Republic considers soil protection as one of the priorities of its presidency. The European Commission’s strategy for healthy soils and the Resolution of the European Parliament stressed the importance of the soil-water nexus and particularly the need to achieve a Water-Smart Society to create co-benefits for soils and water management. Therefore, how will you consider this nexus in the Council discussions during your presidency?

One of the objectives of the EU Soil Strategy for 2030: Reaping the benefits of healthy soils for people, food, nature and climate is to develop a European Soil Health Act. The Czech Republic has taken this new strategy into account in its positions and negotiations. It is also guided by the principles of soil protection in relation to the water nexus with particular emphasis on addressing erosion, compaction and preventing land take that prevents water infiltration. Addressing these issues has a positive impact on water retention in the landscape and on soil water content.

How can research and innovation help strengthening Europe’s strategic resilience and how do you see the role of water in this regard?

There are still many questions that need further scientific understanding. First of all, there is climate change research where we need more accurate predictions of how different regions and their water resources will be affected. On this basis we can then better target, for example, the interconnection of water supply systems or water retention measures in the landscape. In the more vulnerable EU countries, wastewater recycling is likely to be used more, so we need to make sure that recycled water is safe for health. At the same time, we need to ensure that water management does not contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. It will be necessary to investigate options for carbon-neutral management of wastewater and sludge. The benefits and drawbacks of hydropower also need to be carefully weighed up.
It is also crucial for human health and ecosystems that waters are free of hazardous chemicals. With the development of industry, new pollutants such as pesticides, pharmaceuticals or substances from sunscreen products continue to emerge, and their potential harmfulness is being investigated by EU research institutions together with Member States.
The WFD list of priority substances will still need to be updated, though the latest draft update was published on 26 October 2022. The same applies to the watchlist of potentially hazardous substances where the list of new substances for which the EU still has little information was last updated in 2022.

We are also paying close attention to research at national level. The Czech Technology Agency supports two flagship projects in water protection and the Czech Ministry of the Environment is their expert guarantor. The first is “The Water Centre” which aims to provide comprehensive answers to the question of how to ensure sufficient clean water for human consumption in the future while improving the state of ecosystems. The second is “Perun Research Centre” which is refining models of climate change on our territory and developing solutions for water scarcity.

Our vision is to build a Water-Smart Society where the value of water is recognised and realised. Which actions and measures should they be taken to be able to achieve this?

The Strategic Objectives of water management of urbanised areas in the field of rainwater management in the Czech Republic include six main objectives. The first is to restore the natural water balance in existing developments and maintain the natural water balance in new developments including flood and drought prevention. The second objective is to protect urbanised areas from flooding due to heavy rainfall. In addition, the strategy also aims to use rainwater as a utility resource in order to reduce the demands on production, transport and consumption of drinking water. Another objective is to improve the microclimate in cities, in particular by increasing humidity and reducing air temperature and dust. Equally important is the protection of surface water and groundwater, namely the reduction of pollution and, in the case of surface water, the improvement of its morphological status which is linked to an increase of biodiversity and ecosystems. A final important objective is to promote the use of water for aesthetic, recreational and other services in urbanised areas. It is important to see water within human settlements as a means to improve the quality of life.

New Water Europe’s position on a Water-Soil Nexus in Europe

In the context of the public consultation for a Soil Health Law, Water Europe published a response and a policy-oriented paper that you can find here. Stressing the interdependencies of environmental and economic sectors, this new law shall provide not only a crucial basis for a resilient ecosystem but also for many other services, such as energy, raw materials, carbon sequestration, water purification, and infiltration.

In April 2021, The European Parliament stressed the importance of achieving a so-called ‘water-smart society’ to support the restoration and protection of soil, as well as of exploring the close relationship between soil health and water pollution; including the use of the relevant digital tools to monitor the status of water and soil and the effectiveness of policy instruments (European Parliament resolution of 28 April 2021 on soil protection (2021/2548(RSP)). Therefore, the European Commission shall include in its legislative proposal:

1. Unleash the water-soil nexus through inclusive governance, including monitoring the parameters of soil texture and transparent and publicly accessible data.
2. Encourage better water quality and circular materials management in order to:
   ✔Better exploit the value in water, such as substances and raw materials,
   ✔Encourage legal clarity and harmonization on the use of building materials based on a reused index,
   ✔Encourage water efficiency,
   ✔Support better ground and surface water quality.

1. Mitigate climate change and pollution with adequate solutions, which means:
   ✔Contaminated soils should be handled according to the most sustainable treatment method to not affect future generations, and
   ✔The inclusion of the ‘technical subsidiarity principle’.

For more detailed information, feel free to take a look at the factsheet included in our position paper with all the relevant data to keep in mind.

Water Projects Europe coming up during the IWA Conference on Nov 7

Wetlands play an important role in protecting freshwater from pollutants, pathogens, excessive nutrients, metals, and sediments. They can also provide effective protection against storms and can contribute greatly to soil stabilization, preservation of biodiversity, and wildlife habitat.

A promising proposal for the new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive

Today, 25 October 2022, the European Commission published the proposal for the new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (UWWTD). An in-depth REFIT evaluation of the UWWTD from 1991 showed that it has significantly reduced the adverse effects of the wastewater discharges from urban sources into the environment.

The proposal focuses on the quality of rivers, lakes, groundwaters and seas through cost-effective wastewater treatment. It includes essential points, such as the energy-water nexus, nutrients recovery and new requirements for microplastics and other micropollutants in line with the Circular Economy Action Plan. The sector is supposed to become energy-neutral by 2040. Moreover, the proposal also aims for new standards and limit values, an extended producer responsibility, better and digitalized monitoring and tracking of pollution, and a cooperation between health and wastewater competent authorities.

These improvements will allow to achieve a better health and environmental protection in line with the European Green Deal.

Here the link to the article on the EC website.

The Water-Smart Society, a key element in the resolution on the COP27

After the adoption of the motion for a resolution on the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 in Sharm-el-Sheikh (COP27) during the ENVI meeting on 3 October, the Resolution has been adopted in the plenary sitting yesterday, 20 October.

We are happy to announce the inclusion of the Water-Smart Society, as it constitutes a key pillar in order to mitigate climate change adequately. The Resolution represents the European Parliament position to the COP27, which will be brought forward by a European Parliament’s delegation of 15 members.

The Parliament in its resolution particularly stresses that “all stakeholders and sectors should be mobilised to achieve a water-smart society by simultaneously addressing climate change adaptation, food and water security, protection of biodiversity and a resource-efficient and competitive economy; whereas the EU and the Member States should also develop this approach through the European neighbourhood policy, the EU’s external action and in the UN agendas”

Together with the European Parliament, Water Europe will continue to work towards a resilient society, where the true value of water is recognized and realized.

The race of water utilities to reduce carbon emissions is on

The global water technology company Xylem has released the new paper Net Zero: The Race We All Win to help water managers reducing their emissions and making infrastructure more resilient to climate change.

Since the Paris Agreement of 2016, more than 70 countries have pledged to meet ambitious net-zero goals, promising to commit to a 45 percent cut in GHG emissions by 2030, and net zero by 2050.

That’s a challenge for water utilities because water and wastewater infrastructure is a major GHG contributor, making up approximately 2% of global GHG emissions, on par with the global shipping industry. With the right approaches and proven technologies, net zero is possible.

The strategies in this paper enable water utilities to hit net zero and still meet their community and regulatory obligations. More than that, these approaches can optimize utility operations to deliver better sustainability and business outcomes, hand-in-hand. Check the paper here.

MEPs vote to strive for a Water-Smart Society in the resolution on the COP27

During the last extra-ordinary ENVI meeting on 3 October in Strasbourg, the MEPs continued working on the fight against climate change with the adoption of the motion for a resolution on the UN Climate Change Conference 2022 in Sharm-el-Sheikh (COP27) taking place from 6 to 18 November 2022. Once adopted the resolution will constitute the European Parliament position to the COP27, which will be brought forward by a European Parliament’s delegation of 15 members.

Beside the key issues, such as the climate, biodiversity crisis and emissions reductions, the resolution includes the crucial challenge of water protection in several amendments, an important step forward. Particularly, the amendment 14 underlines the “crucial importance of water management for climate change mitigation and adaptation” and “that water reuse and water efficiency through circular processes must be fully implemented across the economy and society in order to make use of the value in water and ensure water security in terms of quantity and quality”.  Therefore, it addresses all stakeholders and sectors “to achieve a water-smart society”.

The MEP Water Group welcomes these amendments as it is in line with the political statement of the group to achieve to ensure water security and safety in Europe and beyond. The members of the MEP Water Group was actively engage in stressing water-related challenges for this COP27 and submitted several amendments.

To learn, you can check the draft resolution and the vote results here.

Interview with Alexis de Kerchove, Xylem Senior Director, Client Sustainability & WE Board Member College A ‘Multinational Corporations’

You are a Water Europe board member of college A ‘Multinational Corporations’- Could you tell us what drives you personally to have this role at Water Europe? What do you want to achieve?

Water Europe has close to 250 members from across the water management sector – including solution suppliers, utilities, municipalities, industrial water users and academic institutions. As the world is changing, water-related challenges need more ambitious commitments from all of us to secure access to safe and affordable water and wastewater services. My goal in taking this role with Water Europe is to bridge knowledge among all of us through networking and collaboration and bring perspective to what is possible for water with technologies, software and services. Our success as a community will lead us in transforming our commitments into opportunities for all.

Why do you consider it important for Xylem to be part of Water Europe?

Xylem is a global technology and solution supplier devoted to advancing the smarter use of water for a future where global water issues do not exist.  Being part of Water Europe provides an opportunity for Xylem experts and engineers to connect with peers and solve water technology challenges, as well as for Xylem leaders to champion themselves as advisors to policy makers.

Water Europe provides the structure needed for exchanging knowledge with all stakeholders and for all of us to grow together with a shared purpose.

Which ones do you consider the biggest challenges of the European water sector, at the moment, and how do you see us overcoming them?

Climate change is unfortunately happening, and adaptation to more frequent droughts or floods is no longer just a choice. We must adapt now or our communities will not survive otherwise as we know them.  Where we still have a chance to act is in the mitigation of further climate aggravation. It’s estimated that water and wastewater utilities contribute 2-5% of global GHG emissions.  And water use and management more broadly account for 10% of global GHG emissions. We know, however, that the services the water sector provides are nothing short than life giving.  Still, we are contributing to climate change and that’s our problem to own – and to solve.  We can overcome our emissions together by holding to our commitments, knowledge, and community through Water Europe and beyond.

Building a water-smart society is our vision. Which actions shall we prioritise to make this happen?

Water Europe’s vision can be met through strong collaboration.  Collaboration in building the framework empowers all water management stakeholders to own their commitments, knowledge, and community. Commitments to being water neutral and being net-zero in GHG emissions.  Our sector depends on it. Knowledge is to be used so that future design builds more efficiencies and determination to reduce water uses and GhG emissions. Community is to promote diversity and blend experience from all experts to the energy of youngsters. The younger generations do not accept inaction. Water Europe will only win by bringing them along with its vision, sharing with them its experience, learning from their disruptive ideas, and never shying away from demanding more.

Hans Goossens, WE President’s Editorial

Dear Water Europe friends,

We are all back from a summer that had a bit of everything. Pleasant moments enjoying the sun, cooling down in the lake or the sea, and long hours of sitting outside. Yet, this is only one side of the coin. During the summer, we all experienced an exceptional heatwave across Europe, raging fires, severe drought with dry rivers and water scarcity in many European regions. We are all confronted with the mere fact that the climate is changing, if not, collapsing in front of our eyes. Water is not only life but also living. Over these months, we saw the impact of low rivers on the transportation of goods across Europe, the whole logistics line was under pressure, slowing down the production. Water is key for all the activities of our society. If we want to go for a sustainable society, we have to go for a Water-Smart Society. The frequency and the intensity of all these events around us made us take a step further and sharpen our Water Vision, an updated version of which is expected this autumn.

In the meantime, we have already published our new position paper for a Water-Smart Nutrient Management Action Plan. This paper stresses the link between a Water-Smart Society and the circular economy. A nutrient management action plan is very important for reducing, reusing, and recycling in a better way, and has a direct impact on the water utilities. The reduction of nutrients that could enter the freshwater cycle and the recycling of nutrients from wastewater treatment increases the cost-efficiency of the whole water management cycle. The paper also includes several of best practice cases from the European collaborative research projects Nextgen, Ultimate, Water-Mining, and B-Water-Smart. To read our full position paper, click here.

Our new Water-Oriented Living Lab Notebook series publications were also made available earlier this month. They serve as a manual for those interested in driving their research and development process toward a Water-Smart Society and embedding their water-smart innovations in society, using the Living Labs concept. The WOLLs are a very important instrument for the implementation of our Water Vision and this is exactly what our September’s workshops demonstrated during the IWA conference in Copenhagen and the Open Living Lab Days in Turin. Download our WOLLs publications here. Speaking of innovation, we are also excited to share with you the recently published CNN article that features the innovative solution of the Water Europe SME winner 2022 Manhat, while making reference to our Innovation awards. Read the whole piece here.

While we are bombarded daily with news about the energy crisis in Europe, we shouldn’t allow this to change our priority; instead it should urge us to turn the treat of a looming water crisis into an opportunity for creating a Water-Smart Society. Our next Water Knowledge Europe event on the 18^th and 19^th of October will be an opportunity for us to meet again, exchange, get inspired and come up with solutions for our water challenges. I look forward to meeting you all there!