EU records steady progress on clean water targets

Eurostat has reported that 80.7 per cent of the EU population was connected to wastewater treatment systems with at least secondary treatment in 2023, reflecting ongoing progress in water infrastructure.

This marked an increase of 3.4 percentage points compared with 2013, when the figure stood at 77.3 per cent, while remaining broadly stable compared with 2022, when it reached 80.8 per cent.

The data, based on information from 17 countries within the European Statistical System (ESS), highlights trends in access to essential sanitation services across the bloc.

The share of the population connected to at least secondary wastewater treatment is a key indicator for monitoring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goal on clean water and sanitation.

The Sustainable Development Goal 6 aims to ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene.

It also seeks to improve water quality and increase water-use efficiency, underlining the broader environmental and public health objectives of the EU.

In addition to wastewater treatment, groundwater nitrate levels serve as a critical indicator of water quality.

In 2023, the EU recorded 18.14 milligrams of nitrate per litre in groundwater, showing a slight improvement compared with 18.80 milligrams per litre in 2013.

The findings indicate that water quality has marginally improved over the past decade, although continued monitoring remains essential.

According to the EU’s Nitrates Directive, a concentration of 50 milligrams of nitrate per litre is the threshold above which groundwater is considered unfit for drinking.