An EU directive containing an updated list of pollutants in surface and groundwater, in line with the latest scientific recommendations, has entered into force.
This was reported on the European Commission’s website.
The new regulations will introduce changes to three other EU legislative acts:
- the Water Framework Directive,
- the Environmental Quality Standards Directive,
- the Groundwater Directive.
Which new pollutants will be controlled
The updated list of harmful substances includes a range of PFAS (so-called “forever chemicals”), pesticides, and pharmaceuticals. Their inclusion is based on the latest scientific data.
For the first time, the rules also apply to microplastics, indicators of antimicrobial (antibiotic) resistance, and sensitive groundwater ecosystems.
Conceptual change of approach
The revised law also introduces a requirement for so-called “effect-based monitoring.” Instead of measuring the levels of individual pollutants, this method assesses the cumulative risk to water quality. In addition, officials have reviewed and updated the limit values for pollutants already included in the lists.
Six substances that no longer pose an EU-level risk due to prohibition or restriction measures have been transferred to new lists of pollutants that pose a threat at the national level.
According to the European Commission, the new rules will also strengthen cross-border cooperation and make the collection and submission of water resource data more dynamic.
Simplification of procedures
The new directive also abolishes and optimizes certain reporting obligations for member states. This will reduce administrative burden and make it easier for them to share monitoring data with the Commission. For this purpose, the EU Executive, in cooperation with the European Environment Agency, will develop appropriate digital tools.
As recently reported by EcoPolitic, in Ukraine, plans are under way to strengthen liability for violations of water legislation. Currently, there are two initiatives – governmental and parliamentary. Both are aimed at significantly increasing the amount of fines and expanding the list of actions that will be considered violations.
