As a follow-up to the MEP Water Group on the Energy Efficiency directive and several actions held since May 2021, the European Alliance to Save Energy and Water Europe are releasing a joint declaration to unleash the potential for the water-energy nexus in the energy efficiency directive with 11 recommendations. The nexus holds the potential to generate large-scale energy and water savings across sectors and reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and it is time for policy-makers to accelerate the European efforts towards a clean energy transition and a Water-Smart Society. The recommendations are:
- Secure that the energy efficiency first (EE1) principle applies across sectors and all water cycles and that the quality of water used is fit for purpose.
- Create an enabling framework that ensures the delivery of all the benefits deriving from water efficiency.
- Promote water reuse to generate energy savings in water management.
- Facilitate interoperability and easy integration to the energy grid of energy generated by wastewater treatment plants.
- Introduce a mandatory system of assessment for both energy and water usage in industry, water supply systems, wastewater network and treatment plants.
- Provide meaningful incentives to ensure that water suppliers reduce water leakage levels, particularly for large and very large water suppliers.
- Mandate the introduction of green infrastructure and adapt grey infrastructures in cities to reduce the amount of storm water being directly released into wastewater treatment plants.
- Provide incentives for the use of digital technologies and real-time data analytics across water cycles.
- Foster transparency and free-flow of data across EU on water quality and availability, water leakages, system capacity and energy use for water and waste water infrastructure and performance.
- Develop communication standards for data sharing across the water cycle and between national and regional entities.
- Introduce requirements and incentives in the EED for the ICT sector to monitor their energy and water consumption.
Download the Full Declaration
