Key facts
- The European Union is facing a significant water shortage due to a combination of intense heat, decades of overuse, pollution, and leaky infrastructure.
- Electricity cooling, agriculture, public supply, and industry are the primary consumers of water in the EU.
- The EU extracts about 200,000 billion cubic meters of water annually, which exceeds natural replenishment.
- A substantial amount of treated water, 23 percent, is lost through leaky pipes before reaching consumers.
- The EU's 2025 Water Resilience Strategy aims to increase water efficiency by at least 10 percent by 2030 and improve water quality and quantity.
The European Union is grappling with a severe water shortage, with many regions still under water restrictions despite being midway through August. While record-breaking summer temperatures are accelerating evaporation from rivers and lakes, the underlying issue stems from decades of unsustainable water management practices, including leaks, overuse, and pollution.
Water is a critical resource for various sectors in Europe, with electricity cooling accounting for 33% of usage, agriculture 31%, public supply 21%, and industry 14%, according to the European Environmental Agency (EEA). The bloc extracts approximately 200,000 billion cubic meters of water annually, a volume that surpasses natural replenishment, leading to the depletion of groundwater and river flows.
Compounding the problem, low water levels increase the risk of pollution, diminishing the availability of clean water. The EEA data indicates that only 37% of Europe's surface water has a good or high ecological status, and 29% has a good chemical status. Furthermore, Europe wastes 23% of its treated water due to leaky pipes before it reaches households.
In response, Europe has introduced the 2025 Water Resilience Strategy. This initiative aims to make the EU's water supply climate-resilient by enhancing water efficiency by at least 10% by 2030. It also focuses on restoring and protecting water quality and quantity through pollution reduction and curbing over-extraction, promoting a water-smart economy to minimize waste and leaks, and leveraging digital solutions for improved water management.