The Zero Environmental Association warned this Saturday for the need to quickly implement the new European Directive for Urban Wastewater (Daru) and asked the government to accelerate the adaptation process.
DARU has recently been approved by the European Union and imposes reinforced requirements in the management, collection and treatment of urban wastewater, to improve the quality of treated wastewater and promote its reuse.
When World Water Day, zero, in a statement, reminds us that Daru’s transposition must be completed within 30 months, but also says that “historically, Portugal has shown significant delays in the correct transposition and timely transposition of European directives.”
The directive imposes work on wastewater treatment stations (WWTP) that removes micropolurants such as persistent pharmaceutical and chemical waste, according to Zero, noting that although urban wastewater services have been ensuring satisfactory quality levels, “the sector has suffered from an investment deficit,” so many infrastructures may not be prepared for the new level of demand.
The Association also note that the directive advocates an effective application of the wide responsibility of the producer (for pharmaceuticals and cosmetics for example), and that effective mechanisms for the application of this responsibility are required.
And it argues that integrated wastewater management, which the directive requires, must prioritize nature -based solutions.
The zero note also that Daru encourages the reuse of treated urban wastewater and points out that Portugal devalues reuse projects, as it does not have an effective strategy for reuse and WWTP’s lames.
Also on the purpose of World Water Day, the environmental organization WWF released a study that water pollution is at the top of environmental concerns.
In an inquiry carried out to 30,000 people in 31 countries and territories, including Portugal, six out of 10 people globally feel personally affected by both pollution and water scarcity, concerns that exceed even climate change.
Water pollution is seen as a “very serious” issue by 78% of people in Portugal. The three other most worrying questions indicated by respondents in Portugal are the exhaustion of natural resources (also 78%), water scarcity (73%) and biodiversity loss (71%).
World Water Day, celebrated since 1993 under UN auspices and this year focusing on the preservation of the glaciers, is this Saturday marked in the country with several initiatives, including a session in Vila Franca de Xira to present the government strategy called “Água Une”, and a commemorative ceremony of Águas do Tagus Atlantic at the Alcântara Water Factory in Lisbon.
The date was established by the UN in 1992, during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, known as Rio-92.
The day, which in each year has a specific theme, aims to raise awareness of the importance of natural resource and promote their sustainable management.
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