EU Urges Members to Slash Water Use by 10 Percent

(MENAFN) The European Commission is preparing to urge EU nations to reduce their water consumption by at least 10 percent by 2030, as revealed in a draft document obtained by a news outlet. This initiative would represent the EU’s inaugural directive specifically targeting water usage cuts.

This move arises amid escalating alarms over droughts and declining groundwater levels,
triggered by an increase in wildfires and devastating floods that have cost the EU billions and drained water supplies to unprecedented lows.

“We need to think about how we need to use water more efficiently,” emphasized EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall in an interview with the publication, adding, “when we have a shower, we need to think about it.”

Several southern European countries have already introduced bans on refilling swimming pools. Haris Sachinis, CEO of the Greek water utility Eydap, warned that Athens could face a total water shortage within two years if dry conditions continue.

Maria Panayiotou, Cyprus’s Agriculture Minister, cautioned that 2025 may become the island’s third year in a row of drought and rank among the worst eight years for water reserves in the last 50 years.

Meanwhile, Sweden has enacted restrictions on garden watering using hoses in certain regions. In both France and Spain, conflicts over dam management and water rights have intensified disputes between farmers and environmental advocates.

In the previous year, environmental regulations set by the EU—such as limits on pesticide use and goals for water consumption—triggered significant protests from agricultural communities throughout France, Spain, Germany, and Poland

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