The Hindu Business Line : Water management in Europe

The water industry in Germany exemplifies the highest standards of performance and efficiency among the EU member-States. The consumers are well served, especially when it comes to drinking water quality and security of supply. Germans are able to do this due to the high technical standards of distribution and treatment.

Mohan Murti

On Sunday, last week, when I called my parents living in Palakkad, Kerala, I was told that while the south-west monsoon rains were lashing outside, drenching the dry earth with that intoxicating smell, the water taps at home were dry. They had not had water supply in the house for six hours — almost all of the forenoon.

Tell apart a catastrophe — any catastrophe — the humankind is facing today: Famine, civil war, AIDS, malaria, land mines. Every single one of these becomes insipid in contrast with the problem several countries, including India, are facing apropos water — from availability of clean, safe water to deadly water-related maladies.

High efficiency of the water industry

If we look at the water supply and wastewater disposal industry of EU member-states, the water industry in Germany exemplifies the highest standards of performance and efficiency and it is held in high esteem among its customers.

The consumers in Germany are superbly served, especially when it comes to drinking water quality and security of supply. Disruptions of supply without adequate prior notice are unknown in Germany.

In my 15 years in Germany, this has happened only once, for 10 minutes, and with 30 days prior notice! Germans are able to do this due to the high technical standards of distribution and treatment and the excellent condition of networks.

Also, in the field of wastewater treatment, Germany is one of the top performers in Europe. The wastewater in Germany is 95 per cent tendered to biological treatment in sewage plants pursuant to the highest EU standard.

The water supply utilities have by far the lowest network losses in a European comparison. Drinking water of an excellent quality is available to the citizens at all times. The prices for drinking water and the wastewater re-cycling charges have remained stable for several years now.

Water charge increase — which seldom happens — is in line with the increase in cost of living. In 2006, Germany supplied around 700 million cubic metres of raw water out of 70 reservoirs and delivered almost 500 million cu m of drinking water to 80 million citizens without interruption.

The Danish Water Story

In Denmark, groundwater is almost the only source of drinking water. For many years, research, planning and careful implementation concerning the exploitation and protection of groundwater and water resources have been one of the main activities of the local communities, town planners, municipalities and the federal government, in Copenhagen.

In the early 1980s, investigations brought to light the problems associated with landfills, industrial facilities and intensive farming, including use of pesticides, which initiated a series of actions including stringent legalisation related to pesticide-free farming, protection of water resources, its prudent use and careful disposal and recycling.

The foundation of these activities is the National Centre for Groundwater and Well Data, which has been in function since the worlds first Danish Water Supply Act was formulated in 1926. The database now contains digital well log data from more than 300,000 bore-wells in Denmark. In addition, Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) is the topic centre for Danish Groundwater Monitoring, including the operation of an early warning system for pesticide leaching, and giving the annually updated status of groundwater quality and quantity.

The Regulations

Within the water resources area, the Danish Water Authority collaborates with research institutes, universities and private consulting companies.

Amazingly, Denmark allocates annually 20 per cent of its national budget on water resources.

As with most things in life, there are regulations around mineral waters, in Europe. Water is not just water, but it is categorised. It must fulfil specific criteria to be sold as mineral water or to belong to another of several specific categories. These regulations are mostly specific to each country, within Europe.

Germany states different maximum levels of minerals and trace elements for drinking water (including tap water) and mineral water. Mineral water, in most of West Europe and Germany, must be bottled directly at the source, and may not be altered.

Water is a ‘Good’

For several years now, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund are belligerently promoting water privatisation in the developing countries, opening the door for huge transnational water corporations to share knowledge and profit from water delivery and waste water treatment technologies.

Water is clearly a ‘good’ in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Article 11 already rules out any quantitative restrictions on the export of a good, but allows tariff measures, such as taxes or dual price systems. The Europeans have been asking the inclusion of drinking water in the GATS agreement.

They have large multi-national corporations (MNCs) which are involved in privatising municipal water services around the world.

It is believed that when the Romans came to Germany, they often saw a golden glitter in lakes and rivers. Closer examination revealed coins and bracelets, thrown in by early settlers.

This was done to calm and express gratitude the Gods who were believed to live in the water.

Even to the present day, children, adults, politicians, the general public in Germany and rest of West Europe continue to have the same revere for water resources.

This admiration for water is perhaps based on the assertion that water has faultless memory and is eternally trying to get back to where it was.

Only man’s intelligence, ingenuity and will, can make it run uphill or, flow downhill. So, if there are yet nations and societies left in this new millennium without water, it is those inhabitants to blame. Sadly, in this context, India is a classic archetype.

(The author is former Europe Director, CII, and lives in Cologne, Germany. Feedback may be sent to mohan.murti@t-online.de)