Copa and Cogeca Secretary-General Pekka Pesonen said: “Water storage and water re-use are important strategies to reduce the abstraction of freshwater and to further improve on-farm water use efficiency. Both tools are important measures to tackle the impact of climate change, bringing benefits to the environment and to farm economics”.
“Copa and Cogeca believe that a “fit for purpose” criteria has to be applied when utilizing reused water in irrigation. Also, bottlenecks have to be overcome. For instance, consumers‘ perception and legal liabilities are still slowing down the further uptake of such water”, Pesonen added.
The proposed Commission Regulation aims to alleviate water scarcity across the EU, in a bid to adapt to climate change. It aims to ensure that treated waste water intended for agricultural irrigation is safe, protecting citizens and the environment.