Essential for life
Water is an essential resource.
It sustains our way of life, our economy and our food. But today, our water supply is under threat.
Europe needs to ensure water security and be prepared for water-related disasters. By 2030, global water demand will exceed available resources by 40%, and efforts need to be made to ensure both its availability and quality worldwide.
That is why the European Commission has developed a water resilience strategy to help the EU improve the way we manage water while making our businesses more competitive and innovative.
Did you know?
- Clean water
Safe drinking water and sanitation are fundamental human rights.
- Health impact
Highly persistent pollutants, such as PFAS, keep accumulating in EU waters with associated health impacts estimated to cost between €52 and €84 billion annually.
- Business opportunity
Europe is a global leader in water technology, holding 40% of all patents globally. Its water industry generates €107 billion and supports 1.7 million jobs.
Our objectives
The Commission will work towards water resilience by
Restoring and protecting the water cycle
- Restore and protect the water cycle from source to sea to ensure resilience against floods, droughts and water scarcity, by effectively implementing the already existing EU laws for freshwater.
- Adopt water-smart practices and green infrastructure to improve water retention on land, prevent water pollution and tackle pollutants in drinking water, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS).
Building a water-smart economy
- Provide guidance on how to reduce water consumption and improve water efficiency in the EU by 10% by 2030.
- Reduce leaks in pipes and modernise water infrastructure through public and private funding and take up of digital solutions.
Ensuring access to clean and affordable water for all
- Raise public awareness by promoting education and the exchange of best practices in saving water, and support sound water pricing policies.
- Reinforce the EU’s role in promoting water resilience worldwide through international partnerships and cooperation.
How we will make it happen
The EU’s main areas of action will be
- governance and implementation
- public and private investments and infrastructure
- accelerating digitalisation and AI
- boosting research and innovation
- security and preparedness
Background
The water resilience strategy is firmly rooted in the 2050 vision put forward by the EU at the 2023 UN Water Conference. Water resilience is a priority of the European Commission as President von der Leyen announced in the 2024-2029 Political Guidelines.
As from December 2025, the Commission will hold, every two years, a water resilience forum. This will bring together stakeholders and interested parties to take stock of progress made in enhancing water resilience across all levels of government, business and civil society, and monitoring implementation of this strategy.