Europe's water resources under pressure, most surface bodies polluted

4/2/2025 19:25

Most of European Union surface water bodies are polluted by chemicals, the European Commission said on Tuesday, in a report that revealed the damaged state of Europe's water resources.



The European Union is drafting plans this year to tackle water shortages and droughts being worsened by climate change, and address the intense pressure on water supplies from farming, pollution and sprawling urbanisation.



By the EU's assessment, just 39.5% of EU surface water bodies like lakes, rivers and coastal waters, were in good ecological condition as of 2021. Only 26.8% had a good chemical status, down from 33.5% in 2015.



The report noted partial improvements - for example, in aquatic plants in lakes - but these did not rescue the overall health of water bodies.