Seminar on resource protection: in the face of urgency, reflection and action

Water quality in Europe is in critical condition. An alarming report from the European Environment Agency published on October 15 reveals that 71% of surface water and 23% of groundwater do not meet chemical quality standards. All faced with this alarming observation, experts from the world of water, French or European, representatives of communities, the State, elected officials, public operators came to share their diagnoses and positive experiences at the invitation of Eau de Paris and Aqua Publica Europea, the European association of public water and sanitation operators during a seminar, organized at the Académie du Climat (Paris 4th) in front of 200 people. 

A concern shared at European level 

It is urgent to strengthen public policies that protect water resources upstream and to adopt concrete solutions to avoid pollution. The solutions to increase the preservation of the resource are located at the various European, national and local levels, as highlighted by Anne-Sophie Leclère, Deputy Director General of Eau de Paris.  

Since the adoption of the Water Framework Directive in October 2000, there has been a common framework for water management between the Member States of the European Union. In the first part, Elena Montani, from the Directorate-General for the Environment at the European Commission and Sergey Moroz, Head of Water and Biodiversity Policies at the European Environmental Bureau, both stressed the work of the European Commission which should lead to a necessary evolution of regulations at European level, to make water quality a priority.

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Speech by Elena Montani, Directorate-General for the Environment, European Commission

Land acquisitions of land located on catchment areas as in Vienna, Austria, collaboration with farmers as in Ireland, reforestation in Denmark, or even remedial actions with systematic inventories of contaminated sites in the Netherlands: water operators are all engaged in this fight for water quality! And if each operator adapts to its situation, its history and the regulations of its country, most of the experiences can be replicated in other regions. 

The morning was concluded by Christophe Clergeau, MEP, convinced of the role that the European Parliament must play in protecting water. He broadened the discussion to environmental health, and the risks linked to our multiple exposure to chemicals, "a real health time bomb". 

Christophe Clergeau advocated for the expansion of the lists of monitored chemicals, with more bans, for the application of the polluter-pays principle and extended producer responsibility. The European political debate on pesticide exit strategies must be relaunched, the Common Agricultural Policy reoriented to finance the ecological transition. He defends the banning of pesticides in catchment areas. 

Communities and operators in action  

During the afternoon, French examples were in the spotlight. Sandrine Rocard, Director General of the Seine-Normandy Water Agency, highlighted the assistance provided to local authorities and the importance of supporting organic farming for the protection of the resource. These actions are financed by the fees collected by the Water Agencies on water bills. 

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Dan Lert, during the seminar Acting to protect water resources, an emergency!, on November 29, 2024 at the Climate Academy (Paris). 

Then Eau de Paris, after recalling the founding principle of its intervention - prevention is better than cure - presented an initial assessment of its pioneering actions to protect its groundwater catchments in partnership with farmers. Implemented in 2020, the payment system for environmental services specific to Eau de Paris has already led to a drastic reduction in the quantity of pesticides applied : in 2023, the 115 farmers involved avoided the application of 55 tonnes of active pesticide substances on 17 ha, a reduction of 300% compared to usual practices in these territories for the same year, a direct consequence of the changes in practices made and the individual technical advice provided. 

Michel Demolder, President of the Eau du Bassin Rennais community, and François Poupard, for the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Regional Council, also shared their experiences. Their testimonies illustrated the ability of local authorities to initiate real changes on the ground, for a transition accompanied by agriculture, for the benefit of water quality and sustainable food. 

The necessary amplification

The last round table examined ways to accelerate the recovery of water quality and reduce the cost of pollution. Denise Thibaut, vice-president of the Seine-Normandy basin committee, presented to the assembly the redistribution of fees collected by the Seine-Normandy Water Agency, via user invoices, an essential tool for the protection of water resources and catchment areas. 

Laurent Roy, president of the environments, resources and risks section of the General Inspectorate of the Environment and Sustainable Development (unfortunately deceased in March 2025), then presented the report conducted by an interministerial mission on the presence of pesticides and their metabolites in water intended for human consumption. The picture painted is severe. The report details the difficulty in setting exposure thresholds and the lack of information for consumers. But the report also makes recommendations: strengthen the monitoring and control of raw water and treated water, harmonize pesticide measurement methods in Europe, conduct epidemiological studies, inform the public in complete transparency, develop agricultural practices with suitable tools... And if necessary, go through the regulatory route and take banning measures. 

Also speaking at the podium, Jean-Claude Raux, MP for Loire-Atlantique, who tabled a bill on 29 November. His field experience led him to tackle the issue: in his department, only 1% of water bodies are in good ecological condition. He is calling for a ban on synthetic pesticides by 2030 and industrial pollution in all drinking water catchment areas, including a ban on mining, and support for farms in the agro-ecological transition. A petition to support this bill has already collected nearly 35 signatures..

The president of the National Water Committee, Jean Launay, returned to the closing remarks on the long road travelled, strewn with pitfalls, and the perseverance of the committee he chairs, in order to (finally) bring to fruition the promises of a preserved water resource. 

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Speech by Jean Launay, President of the National Water Committee, at the seminar Acting to protect water resources, an emergency! 

Accelerating the agro-ecological transition 

Dan Lert, in conclusion of this very rich day, affirmed it. Strong measures must be taken for the protection of water resources: support "zero pesticides" on catchment areas, accelerate the agro-ecological transition, improve our knowledge on the origin of water pollution, but also strengthen the application of the polluter-pays principle so that the extended responsibility of pesticide manufacturers can be sought.

Water requires long-term investments, geared towards protecting water resources. The innovative systems implemented by Eau de Paris have shown that voluntary dynamics can achieve positive and long-term results; prevention is much less costly than treatment, although action must be taken on both levers.