Synopsis
This Directive will revoke and replace the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC.
The Recast Directive broadens the scope of urban wastewater treatment required by including smaller population agglomerations, expanding pollutant coverage, and introducing energy neutrality targets. The Directive also consolidates existing urban wastewater treatment policy and aims to clarify it.
Summary
The Recast Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive (EU) 2024/3019 will revoke and replace the Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC on 1 August 2027.
Directive (EU) 2024/3019 must be transposed into national law in each EU Member State by 31 July 2027. This legislation will apply to all EU Member States.
What will change?
Directive (EU) 2024/3019 broadens the scope of urban wastewater treatment required by including smaller agglomerations, expanding pollutant coverage, and introducing energy neutrality targets. The Directive also consolidates existing urban wastewater treatment policy and aims to clarify it.
By 31 December 2035, collecting and treatment systems must be established for agglomerations between 1,000 and 2,000 p.e. In most cases, this requires all domestic wastewater to be received to these systems.
Member States will be required to maintain registers of individual sewage treatment or temporary storage systems.
By 31 December 2027, Member States must assess risks from urban wastewater discharges to the environment and human health. These assessments must account for seasonal fluctuations and extreme events.
From 1 August 2027, Member States must engage in transboundary cooperation on requirements for urban wastewater treatment and controlling potential impacts of associated discharges from the plants.
From 1 August 2027, Member States will also be required to ensure urban wastewater treatment plants are designed, constructed, operated and maintained to ensure sufficient performance under all normal climatic conditions. This must take seasonal variations of loading and vulnerability to climate change into account.
Member States must also promote the reuse of treated wastewater from urban wastewater treatment plants.
Prevention of Sewage Treatment Plant Overflows
Member States must implement integrated urban wastewater management plans:
Measures in plans should aim to limit pollution from overflows to no more than 2% of the annual collected urban wastewater load under dry weather flow conditions.
Member States are encouraged to prevention pollution at source through favouring nature-based solutions, such as green or blue spaces in urban areas.
Secondary Treatment
By 31 December 2035, the effective treatment of Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Organic Carbon (TOC) and suspended solids will be mandatory for all wastewater discharges from agglomerations of ≥ 1,000 p.e.. Table 1 to Annex I states reductions required.
A number of derogations and temporary derogations are set out in Article 6.
Tertiary Treatment
Plants serving ≥ 150,000 p.e. must provide nitrogen and phosphorous removal. This treatment may be phased in from 31 December 2033. By 31 December 2039, these plants must adequately treat all discharges.
Member States are required to identify areas sensitive to eutrophication from 31 December 2027. In areas with ≥ 10,000 p.e., urban wastewater treatment plants must include adequate nitrogen and phosphorous removal covering at least 20% of these agglomerations from 31 December 2033, rising to 100% by 31 December 2045.
Quaternary Treatment
Quaternary treatment requirements will apply on substances that can pollute even at low concentrations (micropollutants), as listed in Table 3 in Annex I. Associated monitoring requirements are applied for micropollutants, including microplastics.
Plants serving ≥ 150,000 p.e. must include micropollutant treatment by 31 December 2033. This must cover 20% of discharges from these plants from 31 December 2033, rising to 100% by 31 December 2045.
Member States must identify areas where the concentration or accumulation of micropollutants poses a risk by 31 December 2030. For these identified areas with ≥ 10,000 p.e., plants must include adequate micropollutant treatment covering at least 10% of these agglomerations from 31 December 2033, rising to 100% by 31 December 2045.
Extended Producer Responsibility
Extended producer responsibility schemes are required from 31 December 2028. This will require pharmaceutical and cosmetic producers to cover at least 80% of the additional costs for quaternary treatment in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle.
Member States can exempt producers from their extended producer responsibility if they can demonstrate any of the following:
Energy Neutrality
Total annual energy from renewable sources generated on- or off-site and consumed by urban wastewater treatment plants serving ≥ 10,000 p.e. must be at least:
By 2045, urban wastewater treatment plants treating ≥ 10,000 p.e. must achieve energy neutrality by generating renewable energy onsite.
Energy Audits
Energy audits are introduced for urban wastewater treatment plants and collection systems. Audits must be undertaken by 31 December 2028 (plants with a load of ≥ 100,000 p.e.) or 31 December 2032 (plants with a load between 10,000 and 100,000 p.e.).
Audits must seek cost-effective measures to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, while increasing renewable energy production and use.
Discharges of Non-domestic Wastewater
Non-domestic discharges to urban wastewater treatment plants must be controlled through regulations or specific authorisations in each Member State. Regulations, authorisations and restrictions applied must suitably protect the environment and human health.
Biodegradable non-domestic wastewater directly discharged to a receptor must generally be treated to ensure at least the same level of environmental protection as would apply if discharged via an urban wastewater treatment plant.
Sludge and Resource Recovery
Sludge management must conform with the waste hierarchy.
Access to Sanitation
By 12 January 2029, Member States must ensure access to appropriate sanitation for all, as defined in Article 19.
Annex I: Requirements for Urban Wastewater
Annex I collects requirements on wastewater, including minimum percentage reductions and concentration limits for pollutants.
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