Water Archives

Companies are increasingly recognising the value of reporting on water-related topics, but many of them are still refusing transparency efforts, writes Mirjam Wolfrum.

Progressive pricing, savings, and the fight against leaks are all part of the 53 measures in the new water management plan President Emmanuel Macron announced on Thursday to better tackle droughts.

Italy is wasting more and more of its water from leaky aqueducts, leaving the country increasingly vulnerable to droughts, national statistics bureau ISTAT said on Tuesday (21 March).

The French government will review the rules allowing wastewater reuse, as France is “very late” in this field, Ecological Transition Minister Christophe Béchu announced on Tuesday.

Albania’s Vjosa River, subject to a years-long international campaign, has officially been declared a National Park after the decision was formalised by the Council of Ministers and announced by Environment Minister Mirela Kumbaro.

France is to adopt a series of water restriction measures and a major water plan, as it currently faces an unprecedented winter drought, Ecological Transition and Territorial Cohesion Minister Christophe Béchu announced in an interview on Wednesday.

A team of international and Albanian experts presented their vision, roadmap and feasibility study for the creation of the Vjosa National Park to the country’s government this week, in the hopes of ensuring the protection of Europe’s last wild river.

The EU Commission rejected a warning from pharmaceutical companies that extended producer responsibility (EPR) under the proposed revision of the wastewater directive could jeopardise access to medicines.

The EU detailed plans Wednesday (26 October) to bring air and water pollution down to zero by 2050, proposing tougher rules and compensation for those affected by poor air quality.

The dramatic flood that devastated the province of Ancona in the Italian region of Marche at the weekend, in which 11 people were injured and two went missing, could have been at least partially avoided was it not for the inaccuracy of a weather-forecasting algorithm.

A new digital campaign showcasing the health benefits of drinking water when consuming alcohol highlights the value of partnerships between different actors to convey messages about pressing societal issues such as binge drinking.

The European Commission said Thursday (25 August) it will soon reply to complaints received from MEPs about British sewage allegedly being poured into waters shared with the EU.

Kazakhstan announced new regional initiatives on Thursday (21 July) at the meeting of heads of Central Asian states in Cholpon-Ata, a resort town on the northern shore of Lake Issyk-Kul in Kyrgyzstan, close to the former Kazakh capital Almaty.

The EU plans to become the top investor in the world's tallest dam in Tajikistan, officials said, in a move aimed at helping Central Asia cut its reliance on Russian energy and part of EU's answer to China's Belt and Road Initiative.

Surveillance of Legionella in tourist facilities of a major European holiday destination found the pneumonia-causing bacteria present in over half of the evaluated areas.

Austria, Germany, Malta, Greece, Denmark, Croatia and Cyprus can boast of 90% “excellent bathing water quality” as of the EU’s 2021 bathing water report. Overall, 84.8% of bathing sites across the bloc were rated excellent.

After a long back-and-forth, Germany's agriculture ministry has found a compromise with the European Commission over the implementation of the EU's Nitrate Directive, meaning it will likely avoid multi-million euro fines. EURACTIV Germany reports.

The European Commission expressed reservations about France's national strategic plan, saying it did not meet the environmental commitments of the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), according to an observation letter. EURACTIV France reports.

Findings from a recent wastewater analysis reveal the rise in drug use amongst Europeans as the Commission wants to ban two increasingly used substances.

It is no longer enough for countries, including those in Europe, to lower emissions in the face of global warming, according to the UN's International Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which also recommended strengthening adaptive measures. EURACTIV France reports.

Ethiopia began producing electricity on Sunday (20 February) from its Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a multi-billion-dollar hydropower plant on the River Nile that neighbours Sudan and Egypt have worried will cause water shortages downstream. After flicking a digital switch to …

The President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, paid a rare official visit to Belgium on Thursday and Friday (25-26 November) in an effort to present his country as a reliable partner to the EU and open the door to new opportunities.