More than four in five people in the EU were connected to wastewater treatment systems providing at least secondary treatment in 2023.
In 2023, 80.7% of the EU population was connected to wastewater treatment with at least secondary treatment — a level broadly unchanged from 2022 (80.8%) but up from 77.3% in 2013, Eurostat informed on Friday.
The statistics are based on data from 17 countries and come from water data compiled through the European Statistical System, the EU’s network for producing official statistics.
Secondary wastewater treatment is a level of processing that removes biodegradable organic matter from sewage, beyond basic primary treatment.
Groundwater nitrate levels
Nitrate levels in EU groundwater averaged 18.14 mg per litre in 2023, compared with 18.80 mg per litre in 2013, Eurostat reported.
Under the EU’s Nitrate Directive, groundwater is considered unfit for drinking when nitrate concentrations reach 50 mg per litre.
The figures were published to mark World Water Day, which is observed on 22 March, Eurostat said.
