The EU Council adopted the revision of the Waste Water Treatment Directive (see EUROPE 13338/1) on Tuesday 5 November at the meeting of the EU Member States' Finance Ministers in Brussels.
The revised directive aims to combat residual pollution of wastewater by covering more pollutants, extending water treatment to small municipalities, reducing the energy consumption of treatment plants and introducing a system of extended producer responsibility (EPR). According to the EU Council, these rules are one of the main results of the EU’s ”zero pollution” action plan.
Member States will have to collect and treat wastewater from all agglomerations of more than 1,000 population equivalents (p.e.), compared with 2,000 previously. Secondary treatment (elimination of biodegradable organic matter) will be applied to urban wastewater, before it is discharged into the environment, in all agglomerations of 1,000 p.e. or more by 2035. The elimination of nitrogen and phosphorus (tertiary treatment) is also expected in all plants covering 150,000 p.e. or more by 2039, and in plants covering 10,000 p.e. by 2045. Producers of cosmetic and pharmaceutical products will have to contribute at least 80% of the additional costs of quaternary treatment to eliminate micropollutants.
Derogations are provided for small agglomerations discharging into coastal waters, discharges into less sensitive areas and for the most recent Member States to join the EU (Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia).
Member States will have up to 31 months to transpose the new rules into their national legislation. (Original version in French by Florent Servia)