Quality of Surface Waters in the EU Still Not Good Enough

The main pollution sources are fertilizers and chemicals from agriculture, which contaminate the water with nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus, leading to eutrophication. Additionally, industrial wastewater contributes to the chemical pollution of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters​.

Structural changes to waterways, such as dams and channelization, have also contributed to ecological decline​, according to a new report from the EU Environment Agency.

Surface waters are regarded as crucial for maintaining biodiversity, but in many regions of Northwest Europe (including Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany), the quality of more than 90% of water bodies is described as moderate, poor, or very poor. 

The upcoming revision of the EU directives on soil pollution and the approach to the leaching of chemical substances is therefore critical. This revision of the framework directive must not only improve water quality but also restore ecosystem health. 

Besides the threatening pollution of surface water, Europe also has to contend with climate change, which further pressures water security. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and periods of plant drought lead to increased water stress in various regions, especially in Southern Europe. Water bodies such as rivers and lakes there become polluted more quickly, further damaging water quality​.