WRITTEN QUESTION P-2785/00

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Commission

(1 September 2000)

Subject: Management of water resources

The Water Supply Association is constructing a desalination plant for brackish water on Zakynthos. The project will be completed on a self-financing basis because to date no organisation has considered it to be eligible for funding on the grounds that it is financially disadvantageous for consumers.

However:

- a combination of solutions for the problem is available, such as the collection of surface water and water from springs, storage in lake reservoirs, and controlled replacement pumping;

- water provided by desalination is much more expensive per cubic metre than water transported by tanker;

- the municipality of Zakynthos approved the environmental conditions without publishing their authorisation, and without any meeting being held by the municipality's council; the authorisation does not mention any data relating to hydrogeology, water balance or the effects on the water table of the increased brackishness which will result from the projected pumping.

In view of the above:

- can the Commission say if it is aware of these facts? Has the required Environmental Impact Assessment of the project been drawn up? Was it published in time pursuant to Directive 85/337/EEC(1)?

- how does the Commission, acting within the sphere of its responsibilities, intend to prevent the construction of this uneconomic project, and to promote other solutions which will be compatible with the rational management of water resources?

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985, p. 40.

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(12 October 2000)

The Commission had not been aware of the project mentioned by the Honourable Member which, apparently, is not jointly financed by Community funds.

The Commission would again point out that, according to a series of reports published by the European Environment Agency on the quality and quantity of groundwater in Europe (the last dating from 1999), a general trend towards continuous depletion of groundwater resources has been confirmed, particularly in Greece.

It also feels that the desalination of brackish groundwater is a method of producing fresh water whose application in practice should first of all be subjected to cost/benefit analyses which take account of other potential water-supply options, such as the provision of catch basins a method jointly financed by the Community that has demonstrated its effectiveness, particularly in Greece.

The recent adoption (14 September 2000) by the Parliament and the Council of a framework directive on water strongly promotes the integrated planning and management of the quality and quantity aspects of surface waters and groundwater based on river basins that the question calls for.

It is up to the relevant national authorities to decide on any type of project, while taking account of all of the criteria needed, whether economic or environmental. The Commission can only act where there is failure to comply with Community law. In this particular instance the Honourable Member alludes to a failure to comply with Council directive 85/337/EEC of 27 June 1985 on the assessment of the impact of certain public and private projects on the environment(1) as amended by Council Directive 97/11/EEC of 3 March 1997.(2)

He is therefore requested to provide additional information on the procedure followed by the Greek authorities and of its conclusion, in order to enable the Commission to investigate this matter in a suitable manner.

(1) OJ L 175, 5.7.1985.

(2) OJ L 73, 14.3.1997.