Germany unveils first-ever national water plan

摘要

A draft National Water Strategy due to be adopted by year-end sets out a new "vision and mission for 2050" for Germany's water management. The draft Strategy, unveiled by Germany's Federal Environment Ministry last month, floats bold potential steps such as generalising micro-pollutant treatment at wastewater treatment plants and funding the upgrades through an extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme. Another proposal involves making €1 billion in federal funds available to the sector over a 10-year period. The DWA (German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste) expressed its "strong support" for the text, which it said in a statement "reflected many of its demands". The group added it would take an active part in ironing out the strategy's details in upcoming stakeholder talks.