Water rules need 'urgent review'

The IMechE has called for the urgent review of the EU’s Water Framework Directive, arguing that it includes unreasonable wastewater quality demands that are leading to “unnecessary” carbon emissions.

Such emissions are being created because wastewater plants are using ferric chloride, ferrous sulphate or aluminium salts to control nitrogen and phosphorus content, the report says.

We need an urgent review to enable a more holistic approach to water management

IMechE head of energy & environment Jenifer Baxter

Water quality in the UK has improved, however.

But this has only been achieved through the construction of energy-intensive treatment processes at sewage treatment works, which are necessary to meet the tightened effluent consent level, the report says.

Jenifer Baxter, head of energy and environment at the IMechE, said the Directive’s “excessively stringent, universal rules” has led to practices that negatively impact the environment, which is the exact opposite of their purpose.

“Currently, the negative side-effects of this directive to the environment may outweigh the benefits,” Baxter said.

“We need an urgent review to enable a more holistic approach to water management.”

Baxter said the climate change talks happening in Paris this week could be the launchpad to revise the EU’s Directive.