EU Parliament Enacts Stricter Rules to Combat Water Pollution

The EU Parliament has approved sweeping updates to its water pollution standards, aiming to curtail the presence of harmful substances in rivers, lakes, and groundwater across Europe. The measures introduce tighter controls on existing pollutants while expanding the list to include substances like microplastics, antimicrobial resistance indicators, and PFAS—so-called 'forever chemicals' that persist in the environment. By 2027, member states must align national laws with these changes, which ame