Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-06-12-Speech-1-118"
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"en.20060612.18.1-118"2
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"Ladies and gentlemen, I would also like to thank my fellow MEP, Mrs Klaß, for her report because I agree that the current legislation on ground water protection is vague in setting quality and quantity standards.
We are all aware that in many parts of the European Union the quality of water is inadequate. I think it is important to focus on prevention; however, we also need to attend to cleaning ground water sources where they have already been polluted. I believe that the Member States have been given too much leeway in setting water quality standards. Experience indicates that enforcing compliance by Member States, especially where environmental policy issues are concerned, is often time-consuming and occasionally necessitates proceedings at the European Court of Justice. As ground water recognises no borders, it would be more efficient if the Member States had a uniform framework regulating the chemical state and quality of water instead of each country having their own standards. Since ground water travels slowly below the Earth’s surface, human activities impact on the quality of this water in no small measure. Mismanagement of landfills, the existence of illegal landfills often containing very dangerous waste, industrial and agricultural activities or inadequate sewerage systems all endanger the quality of ground water and subsequently the state of health of the population.
Adopting binding European legislation by setting ground water quality standards appears to be the easiest solution. At the same time, it would be necessary to track the implementation of this legislation by means of effective monitoring by the European Environment Agency.
Slovakia, too, is facing major problems in supplying drinking water to the public. Approximately half of the country is supplied from ground water sources; the rest relies on surface water. This is where significant pollution occurs, as this part of the country lacks a completed sewerage system. With inadequate or non-existent sewerage systems in some areas, especially in eastern Slovakia, it is fair to say that people there are drinking impure water. Such water is often the cause of high morbidity due to gastrointestinal and infectious diseases. In fact, funds that would be better used to complete sewerage systems are being wasted on expensive treatments and vaccination."@en1
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