The European Commission has welcomed a provisional political agreement reached between the European Parliament and the Council to update the EU’s lists of water pollutants. This marks a significant step towards strengthening Europe’s water resilience and advancing the EU’s Zero Pollution ambition under the European Green Deal.

New substances added to the lists

The updated legislation introduces stricter monitoring and control of pollutants in both surface waters and groundwater, ensuring alignment with the latest scientific knowledge. Among the new additions are:

  • PFAS (“forever chemicals”): new EU-wide quality standards for the sum of 25 PFAS in surface waters and for the 4 most harmful PFAS in groundwater. A broader set of 20 PFAS will also be monitored in groundwater, which is the main source of drinking water in many Member States.

  • Pesticides and degradation products with proven harmful effects.

  • Bisphenol A, a plasticiser widely used in packaging.

  • Endocrine disruptors, now subject to mandatory testing.

  • Pharmaceuticals, including certain painkillers, anti-inflammatories and antibiotics.

In addition, limits for several pollutants already on the lists have been updated, while six substances that no longer pose an EU-wide risk have been moved to national concern lists, reflecting successful action to restrict or ban their use.

Simplification and cooperation measures

The agreement also introduces simplified procedures for Member States under strict conditions, reducing administrative burden while maintaining environmental and health safeguards. Reporting requirements will be streamlined, and monitoring data will be shared more efficiently through digital tools.

Transboundary water management will also be strengthened, with mandatory downstream river basin warnings after pollution incidents – an important step for coordinated protection of Europe’s water resources.

Next steps

The European Parliament and the Council must now formally adopt the Directive. Once published in the Official Journal of the EU, it will enter into force 20 days later. Member States will then have until 22 December 2027 to transpose the amendments into national law and implement the new requirements.

A shared ambition

The update of the EU’s water pollutant lists is a crucial milestone towards healthier rivers, lakes, and groundwater across Europe. By ensuring cleaner water resources, these measures will protect both ecosystems and public health.

At PCP WISE, we welcome this renewed commitment to water resilience. The ambition set out in the new Directive resonates strongly with our work to drive innovation in water management and monitoring across Europe.

👉 Read the full European Commission press release here: Better protection of surface and groundwater to strengthen EU water resilience