CEMR urges a proportionate, flexible and locally tailored approach to EU waste water reforms
As the European Commission advances its revision of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD), the Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR) welcomes the opportunity to modernise the framework in line with the Green Deal and today’s environmental challenges.
However, CEMR stresses that a one-size-fits-all approach will not work. Instead, the revised directive must reflect the diversity of local conditions, be rooted in risk-based assessments, and align with the subsidiarity principle, allowing national and local authorities to tailor implementation to their context.
Key concerns raised by CEMR include:
- Proportionality and impact: Efforts should focus where they matter most, on larger treatment plants and high-risk areas, rather than extending rigid requirements to small agglomerations or individual systems, which often pose far lower environmental risk.
- Stormwater overflows and urban runoff: These should be managed through a coordinated, risk-based approach under existing national plans and the Water Framework Directive, avoiding duplication and overregulation.
- Nutrient removal: CEMR supports stricter phosphorus thresholds in sensitive areas and encourages phosphorus recovery but calls for flexibility on nitrogen removal in colder climates where existing targets are technically or economically unfeasible.
- Circular economy: The revision should promote pollution prevention at source, enforce the polluter pays principle, and support raw material recovery and energy efficiency across the waste water chain.
CEMR also calls for coherence across EU legislation, including alignment with the Water Framework Directive, and clear, proportionate reporting obligations for local and regional governments.
Local best practice: inspiration from the Netherlands
CEMR highlights Dutch municipalities as a model of innovation in tackling stormwater overflows and integrating water management into urban design. The “water square” in Rotterdam, for example, combines stormwater buffering with vibrant public space, showing how smart spatial planning can enhance both environmental outcomes and quality of life.
In short, the revision of the UWWTD is a vital opportunity, but success will depend on flexibility, local knowledge, and a commitment to cost-effective, risk-based solutions.
For more information, contact:
Advisor – Environment and mobility
