The European Council has officially approved the revised European Union directive on wastewater treatment, introducing new regulations as part of the EU’s Zero Pollution Action Plan.
The updates include extending the rules to smaller settlements, meaning that member states will now need to collect and treat wastewater from all settlements with a population equivalent of over 1,000. Previously, the threshold was 2,000. Population equivalent (PE) is a measure used to assess pollution levels in urban waters. By 2035, all such settlements will need to have wastewater collection systems connected to all sources of domestic wastewater.
Additionally, removing biodegradable organic matter before discharge into the environment will be mandatory. By 2039, facilities treating wastewater for populations equivalent to over 150,000 will be required to remove nitrogen and phosphorus. Finally, by 2045, these facilities will have to apply additional treatment to remove micropollutants.
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The revised directive will cover a broader range of pollutants, with pharmaceutical and cosmetic manufacturers being the primary sources of micropollutants in urban wastewater. Consequently, these producers will be required to cover at least 80 percent of the additional treatment costs through a special financial scheme based on extended producer responsibility, aligned with the “polluter pays” principle.
The third update requires wastewater treatment plants to use more energy from renewable sources to achieve energy neutrality. By 2045, plants with a capacity of 10,000 PE or more must operate using energy from renewable sources.
Once in effect, member states will have 31 months to align their national legislation with the new rules.
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