Helpful for water policy makers and regulators, water utility managers, water sector professionals, researchers and everybody with a stake in the water and wastewater sector: On 22 February, 13:30 CET, the first 2023 edition of the Danube Water Program's successful KnowNow Webinar series will provide information about the revised EU Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive and its relevance for the countries in the Danube region.

On 26 October 2022 the European Commission revised the European Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive which had been in effect for more than three decades. Based on the results of in-depth an evaluation impact assessment, the revision aims to reduce pollution, energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, to improve water quality by addressing remaining urban wastewater pollution, to improve access to sanitation especially for the most vulnerable and marginalized, to charge polluting industries for the treatment of micropollutants, to ensure pathogen monitoring in in wastewater, and to move the water sector towards a circular economy.

The impact of this revision on the water and wastewater sector everywhere in Europe and especially in the Danube Region will be huge, kicking off changes that are estimated to increase sector-wide costs by 3.8% to €3.8 billion a year in 2040, while promising benefits to the tune of over €6.6 billion a year, creating a positive cost-benefit ratio in each Member State.

These dimensions qualify the revision as the theme of the first KnowNow webinar in 2023, and the list of speakers and panelists further indicates the importance: The keynote presentation will be held by Michel Sponar, Deputy Head of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Environment.

The subsequent panel will view the theme from several angles, with Ms. Sanja Barbalic, Head of the Croatian Water Management Institute contributing the policy perspective, Mr. Csaba Bauer, Water Treatment Manager at the Compania Aquaserv S.A. in Romania representing the utility angle, and Prof. Dr. Enkelejda Gjinali of the Polytechnic University of Tirana in Albania viewing the theme from the perspective of a EU candidate country.

Initially introduced in response to the COVID emergency, the Danube Water Program “KnowNow” webinar series has established itself as a widely popular platform for exchanges on up-to-date topics with high relevance for the water sector in the Danube region. These webinars present one theme in tightly compressed 75 minutes, are free of charge and open to everybody. All you need to do to attend is follow the link below and register.