The Council and the European Parliament reached an agreement this week that strengthens the processing and reuse of urban wastewater. The pact expands the directive’s scope to cover a larger share of agglomerations, aiming to protect both the environment and human health while cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
The interim text, which now awaits formal adoption by both institutions, balances differing proposals by raising ambitions for collecting and treating urban wastewater and granting Member States practical flexibility in rollout.
Negotiators agreed on introducing secondary treatment — the removal of biodegradable organic matter — for urban wastewater before discharge in every community serving 1,000 population equivalents (pe) or more by 2035. Population equivalents measure the organic load generated by a typical person each day in a residence.
By 2039, EU countries will need to ensure tertiary treatment — removing nitrogen and phosphorus — in all facilities handling 150,000 pe or more, and in installations serving 10,000 pe or more by 2045. Additional quaternary treatment, capable of eliminating a broad range of micropollutants, will become mandatory for plants larger than 10,000 pe starting in 2045.
The agreed text centers on the reuse of treated wastewater across all viable urban treatment plants, especially in water-scarce regions. National water-resilience strategies should incorporate reuse measures to improve water security.
The finalized framework confirms that member states will push for wider reuse of treated urban wastewater where feasible. It also emphasizes integrating reuse into national water resilience plans to strengthen water availability and environmental protection.
Better monitoring and reduced emissions
Negotiators pressed for enhanced monitoring of public health indicators and pollutants in urban wastewater, including chemical contaminants such as emerging pathogens and persistent substances, as well as microplastics. Antimicrobial resistance will also be tracked in wastewater flows from communities with populations of 100,000 pe or more.
They stressed that the urban wastewater sector should play a key role in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and helping the EU reach climate and energy neutrality goals.
Treatment plants must increasingly rely on renewable energy
Under the new plan, urban wastewater facilities will progressively raise their use of renewable energy each year: 20% by 2030; 40% by 2035; 70% by 2040; and 100% by 2045.
Polluters will pay more
Consistent with the polluter pays principle, the agreement extends producer liability for human-use medicines and cosmetic products to cover the costs of removing micropollutants through quaternary treatment.
The framework stipulates that at least 80% of the costs will be borne by manufacturers, with national funding helping to safeguard the availability, affordability, and accessibility of essential medicines and products.
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Endnotes reflect the environmental department’s ongoing evaluation of policy implementation and its impact on water security and public health.