In the UK, the River Severn was singled out as being in a worse state that many Eastern European rivers. Other UK rivers in need of a major restoration include the Trent in England, the Dee in Wales, and the Foyle, the Lagan and the Bann in Northern Ireland. Reduced water level in lake Koroneia, Greece. These problems have altered the natural water cycle in river basins and catchments, affecting the environment and people. Last May, for example, WWF published a study showing that French drinking water is highly contaminated by nitrates and pesticides.
Water companies purify it to levels safe for human consumption, but only at major expense.
The incidence and severity of floods and droughts are increasing and recreation and tourism are suffering where rivers and lakes are polluted and fisheries have declined. The European Union introduced the Water Framework Directive last June. It followed three years of debate and last minute compromises worked out between the European Parliament and the Council of Ministers. The new law strengthened existing water legislation and attempted to ensure that the European Union's 15 member states prevent further deterioration of their waters. It plans to do this by introducing a novel approach to water management that will integrate water and land use decisions at the river basin level.