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3.1 Pollution

To reach good ecological status of surface waters and good chemical status of surface waters and groundwater according to WFD, the reduction of water pollution is crucial and a main topic in water management.

A range of pollutants still reach European surface waters and groundwaters via different pathways with high impacts on water quality. Those pollutants are caused by diffuse sources of pollution and point sources of pollution. Whereas point sources have a specific discharge location, diffuse sources contain many smaller sources spread over a large area. This is also problematic due to the identification of specific drivers and causes of pollution. Point sources from urban waste water or industry can be easily address and managed; In contrast to diffuse pollution, where the measures may be more difficult to implement.

Point source pollution is mainly caused by urban inhabitants with discharges from waste water treatment plants. Over the past few decades, clear progress has been made in reducing emissions from point sources. The implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD) and the Industrial Emissions Directive (IED), together with national legislation, has led to improvements in waste water treatment across much of the European countries.

Diffuse source pollution occurs mainly from agriculture, run off from urban areas, but also atmospheric deposition or non-connected dwellings. EU action on curbing diffuse nutrient pollution has a long history. Member States currently use a large number of measures, including farm-level nutrient planning, fertiliser standards, appropriate tillage, nitrogen fixing and catch crops, buffer strips and crop rotation.

Although recent decades have seen considerable success in reducing the number of pollutants discharged into Europe's waters, challenges remain in terms of urban and industrial waste water and diffuse pollution from agricultural sources. Once released into waters, pollutants can be transported downstream or through the aquifers (groundwater), and discharged into coastal waters.

The impacts of water pollution are diverse. Nutrients, like phosphorous or nitrogen, lead to eutrophication with algal blooms and oxygen depletion affecting fish and other aquatic communities. Pesticides or heavy metals harm the environment and human health.