Water, that transparent, colourless, odourless and tasteless liquid, is essential for the life of all living beings on Earth. Society faces multiple challenges related to water resources, such as water scarcity, pollution and gaps in access to water supplies. Today we speak to Water Europe's Executive Director, Durk Krol, to find out what is happening in the water sector, Durk Krol, to learn about the history, evolution and challenges of the water sector.

1.Water Europe started its activity in 2004, how has the water sector evolved until today?

I believe that since 2004, the water sector has undergone significant transformation due not only to environmental factors, such as the effects of climate change, which can no longer be ignored, but also to technological and regulatory factors. We now have more innovative technological solutions available and stricter regulations, such as the EU Water Framework Directive which ensures that  ecosystems are protected and water use is managed  sustainably. In addition, there is now much more awareness about the water challenges and issues, compared to twenty years ago, highlighting the critical importance of sustainable water management and achieving a Water-Smart Society.

2.Society must face multiple challenges related to proper water management. Do you think these challenges are the same as they were 20 years ago, or have they changed?

The water challenges that Europe is facing can be summarised as: Too much, too little, and too polluted water. Climate change is having a critical impact on the availability and quality of water resources, and water security is increasingly at the centre of numerous pressing issues, from the loss of livelihoods to slower economic growth to the escalation of violent conflicts. If we compare the current situation with the previous years, we see that despite the 15% decline in water abstraction over 2000-2019, there is no reduction of water scarcity in the EU territory. On the contrary, the situation is getting worse, with very alarming signs. Estimates indicate that, in the absence of efficient water allocation and policy measures, by 2050, water scarcity could cause declines of up to 10% in GDP in many regions of the world, while their implementation would have a significant mitigating impact.

3.How has Water Europe adapted to the different contexts that have emerged over the last 20 years?

Over the last 20 years, Water Europe has adapted to the evolving water sector and its challenges in the way it has structured its work. In fact, we have organized our activities into three main programmes to drive the transition to a Water-Smart Society. Our Water Europe collaboration programme allows our members to network, share knowledge and experiences, and collaborate along the whole water value chain, when addressing common challenges, developing and implementing new solutions, Our implementation programme enables  our community in the implementation of their research results and innovative solutions, as well as their further uptake in markets in Europe and beyond. Our advocacy programme raises the awareness of the value of water for our society and economy and promotes the uptake of research results and innovative solutions through policymaking and legislation. This targeted approach of our programmes ensures that they consistently meet the current and emerging needs of the sector.

4.Water Europe is a platform, that operates at a European level, but there are countries, such as Spain, where the current drought issues did not exist 20 years ago. How has the process of achieving global collaboration been, especially with countries where the concept of sustainable water management was previously unknown?

Water is everywhere, and impacts and affects everyone and every activity, whether we realise it or not. Sustainable water management doesn’t concern only one country as it does not also concern only one group of stakeholders in our society. To address the current and upcoming challenges, we need the collective responsibility of all actors, including the public and private sectors, researchers, policy makers, industry leaders and citizens to take responsibility and manage their fair part. Only through this unified approach can we ensure the sustainable management and preservation of our vital water resources, even in countries where these concepts have only recently become widespread.

5.Water Europe’s main mission is to promote innovation, research, and technology. How can these elements help improve the present and future of water management?

Given Europe’s wide climatic diversity, our continent is a unique testing ground for new technologies, and, therefore, uniquely positioned to respond to the water challenges by applying a wide range innovative solutions. That’s why innovation, research and technology are at the heart of achieving sustainable water management. In particular, Europe has ample prospects for developing new combinations of innovative digital solutions, water treatment technologies, economic, governance and business models, as well as a redesigned hybrid grey and green water infrastructure. Together, these advances can offer integrated solutions to reduce the impact of our society on freshwater sources and create a resilient water system for the future. This can involve the transformation of real-life urban, industrial and rural areas into Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) real-life open innovation environments, where novel synergetic water concepts and solutions can be developed, tested and prepared for market introduction in Europe and throughout the world.

6.Proof of your commitment to innovation, research, and technology is the RESURGENCE project, in which you collaborate with CETIM. What advantages do you think such initiatives bring?

RESURGENCE is a special project for us, as it offers significant potential in helping industries transition towards a green digital future. Making European industries more eco-friendly and efficient is crucial, and our goal is to enable these industries to use resources like water and energy more wisely while reducing waste. At Water Europe, we are deeply committed to this mission and are excited to contribute by leading the project's communication, dissemination, and by providing EU policy recommendations.

7.Do you think we will be able to achieve complete sustainable water management? How can we achieve this, and what actions would help in reaching this goal?

Achieving sustainable water management is a one-way path considering the challenges we are facing. The way forward for us is reflected in our vision and the Water-Smart Society concept. A Water-Smart Society is a society in which:

• The value of water is realised to achieve water security, water sustainability, and water resilience.
• Water scarcity and pollution are avoided.
• Water and resource loops are closed.
• The water system is resilient against climate and demographic changes.
• All relevant actors are engaged in the governance of the water system.

Our vision is based on the value of water for our society, economy, and environment and has three key underlying objectives: water resilience, water security, and water sustainability. To enable and accelerate the transition to a Water-Smart Society, we have also identified five key innovation areas: Circular Water, Multiple Waters, Digital Water, Inclusive Water, and Resilient Water. Through these innovative concepts and measurable objectives, we aim to transform the current European water sector and build a Water-Smart Society.

8.What are the priorities for the water sector in Europe in the coming years?

The European elections that took place last month play a pivotal role in shaping the future of European policies. For the water agenda, this presents a significant opportunity to elevate the position of water on the policy agenda. This could result, among other things, in a more holistic approach to water, improved legislation, and funding opportunities to drive the transition to a European Water-Smart Society. Therefore, among the priorities for the water sector is to ensure it seizes this timing to raise the profile of the water topic.

9.What actions will Water Europe take to work on these priorities?

In response to these priorities, we have released our Water Europe manifesto, calling for an ambitious water strategy at the EU level. We urge policymakers to adopt a comprehensive European Water-Smart Strategy that addresses all water uses with strategic political accountability within the Commission for the next term, 2024-2029. At the same time, we are diligently working with stakeholders at various levels—from European and national to local and regional. One key vehible is our Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs). This year, we published two significant documents on these: the Atlas of Water-Oriented Living Labs (WOLLs) and the Bluebook on creating the Water Europe Living Labs. These publications are crucial for paving the way to deploying, upgrading, adapting, and scaling up current and future innovations in the water sector in Europe.

 

IN DETAIL Water Europe (initially know as WssTP) is a platform established in 2004 by the European Commission as a European Technology Platform to address water-related challenges across the continent. Since 2019, under the Water Europe brand, the name of the organisation captures the essence of its mission as the recognised voice and promoter of water-related innovation, research, and technology development in Europe.