Signals — every breath we take

Proportion of classified surface water bodies in different River Basin Districts in poor chemical status for rivers and lakes (left panel) and for coastal and transitional waters (right panel): The figure shows percentage of the total number of classified water bodies. See the indicator specification for more details.
Located in Data and maps › Maps and graphs
WISE WFD Database: The WISE-WFD database contains data from River Basin Management Plans reported by EU Members States according to article 13 of the Water Framework Directive. The full database is quite complex and not yet made available for public download. However, a number of aggregation queries have been made, these aggregation queries extract data from the database and present it as data tables that can be downloaded in Excel format. Most of the reported data are considered final, however, in some cases they are considered provisional by Member States. The aggregation tables are updated when the underlying WFD Database is updated with new or corrected data. It is therefore important to associate the use of any information in the tables with the date in which data was retrieved. The tables are organised for an access at various levels of overviews versus details - aggregated at country, river basin district (RBD) or in some cases even RBD-subunit level.
Located in Data and maps › Datasets
Waterbase - Emissions to water: Emissions to water are an important element (describing the pressure) in assessment of the state of Europe’s environment (SoE). This database contains data on emissions of nutrients and hazardous substances to water, aggregated within River Basin Districts (RBDs), in the EEA member countries. The reporting process, endorsed by the Water Directors, and this publication of the data, enables all stakeholders to use the data and contributes to streamlining with other reporting processes.
Located in Data and maps › Datasets
Hazardous substances in Europe's fresh and marine waters — An overview: Chemicals are an essential part of our daily lives and are used to produce consumer goods, to protect or restore our health and to boost food production, to name but a few examples. Some chemicals, however, are hazardous, raising concerns for the environment and human health. Hazardous substances are emitted to fresh and marine waters via a number of pathways and can have detrimental effects on aquatic biota. Humans can be exposed to hazardous substances in water through the ingestion of contaminated drinking water and the consumption of contaminated freshwater fish and seafood. A wide range of legislation now exists in Europe to address the release of hazardous substances to the environment, including water. New challenges exist, however, including the issues of chemical mixtures and emerging pollutants.
Located in Publications
Waterbase - Emissions to water: Emissions to water are an important element (describing the pressure) in assessment of the state of Europe’s environment (SoE). This database contains data on emissions of nutrients and hazardous substances to water, aggregated within River Basin Districts (RBDs), in the EEA member countries. The reporting process, endorsed by the Water Directors, and this publication of the data, enables all stakeholders to use the data and contributes to streamlining with other reporting processes.
Located in Data and maps › Datasets
Looking beneath the surface: how good is our water?: Water is critical for life and is integral to virtually all economic activities, including food production and industry. Not only is clean water a prerequisite for human health and well-being, it provides aquatic habitats that support healthy freshwater ecosystems.
Located in Articles
Freshwater quality — key message 4: Diffuse pollution from both agriculture and urban areas remains a major pressure on Europe’s freshwater. Cost-effective measures to tackle both sources exist and can be implemented through the river basin management plans of the Water Framework Directive. Full compliance with the Nitrates Directive is also required.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Freshwater quality — SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key messages
Freshwater quality — key message 2: The Water Framework Directive, the single most important piece of legislation relating to the quality of Europe’s fresh and coastal waters, aims to attain good ecological and chemical status by 2015. For a number of freshwater bodies, substantial improvements will be required to meet this target.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Freshwater quality — SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key messages
Freshwater Quality - key fact 4: A substantial proportion of Europe’s freshwaters are at risk of not achieving good status under the EU Water Framework Directive by 2015 (40 % of surface waters and 30 % of groundwaters, in 2004).
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Freshwater quality — SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key facts
Water resources: quantity and flows — key message 6: Good water resource management is required to meet the needs of a resource efficient future, sustain human and economic development and maintain the essential functions of our water ecosystems. The solutions lie in more integrated and sustainable water management, integration of water aspects in sector policies (for example, the Common Agricultural Policy), improved accounting for water efficiency and the full implementation of the Water Framework Directive and other water policies.
Located in The European environment – state and outlook 2010 › … › Water resources: quantity and flows - SOER 2010 thematic assessment › Key messages