Water is a major source of all life. Streams, rivers, lakes, wetlands and oceans are a habitats for myriads of plants and animals. In addition, groundwater is the main source of drinking water and an underestimated natural habitat. Water mainly contribute to quality of life – food, daily hygiene and recreational activities. As a source of energy, transportation medium and resource, water is also a crucial economic factor. Due to increasing competition, effective protection and careful use of the water is crucial for biodiversity and sustainable uses of this important resource.
In the 2019 bathing season, the EU Commission rated 93% of all German bathing water sites 'excellent'. Overall, 98 percent of bathing waters in lakes, rivers and on the coast were in compliance with the quality standards of the European Bathing Water Directive. This data is confirmed by the Quality of Bathing Water data published by the EU Commission on 8 June for the 2019 bathing season.
The German Environment Agency (UBA) declared the coarse substrate-dominated, calcareous small highland river as the water body type of 2020 on the occasion of World Water Day on 22 March 2020. Streams of this type occur primarily in the limestone regions of the central highlands , for example in the Swabian Alb and Frankish Alb. Only eight percent achieve 'good' ecological status.
200 international experts meeting in Berlin.
UBA and AWI demand more climate action and protection of the oceans and the mitigation of risks for coastal regions.
New UBA study: Numbers, background information, research needs, and measures to combat the plastic flood.
Heavy metals, residues of pharmaceutical drugs and plastic: just a few of the many pollutants contained in sewage sludge. Until recently most of the sludges were used as agricultural fertiliser. Nowadays more than half of it is used and combusted for energy purposes. A new UBA brochure has information on disposal practices and on the current status in sludge treatment and recycling.
German Environment Agency presents seven priority areas for action
Designers can also contribute to solving the problem of marine litter – with the right choice of materials when designing products, for instance. This was the topic of a workshop that was initiated by the UBA in June 2018 with approximately 30 participants from the Baltic Sea Region. The results and specific recommendations for action have now been published.
Treated urban wastewater is usually discharged to rivers. A UBA study assessed the contributions of wastewater effluents in surface waters in Germany and evaluated potential risks for drinking water abstraction.
Operators of municipal and industrial wastewater treatment facilities can apply for funding under the Environmental Innovation Programme until 15 April 2019
The reuse of treated waste water can help to reduce water shortages. Reused water can contain pathogens and harmful substances, however. On 28 May 2018, the EU Commission proposed a regulation, on minimum requirements concerning the reuse of water. It aims to protect health and the environment. The UBA considers there to be a need for improvement.
With Karl-Heinz Florenz (member of the European Parliament, European People's Party), Ingrid Chorus, director of the department for drinking water at the UBA, opened a breakfast session on the topic of materials in contact with drinking water. On 7 June 2018, 50 experts from EU institutions, the EU member states and associations discussed the controversy surrounding the proposal by the Commission.
