One of these is water management though it is for most people within the European Union self-evident to have access to clean water in quite abundant quantities. Global water consumption has increased seven-fold since the beginning of the 20 th century. Nevertheless, in Europe, most people enjoy adequate supplies of fresh, clean water. But water resources are under threat from many human activities. Industry is using water in large quantities for cooling and cleaning.
Agriculture uses water mainly for irrigation.
These activities put a burden on our water resources. Therefore the European Union is conducting an extensive range of essentially legislative measures in order to ensure a sustainable management of water quantity and quality in Europe. This policy is addressed in the document below. It is intended to inform local and regional players, NGOs, policymakers at all levels, social partners and consumers, as well as citizens. We also hope this information will give you ideas about how you can make your own particular contribution towards resolving environmental problems.