International Workshop on the "Implementation of the European Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive in rural areas"

The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety organised, with the support of the European Commission, an international workshop on the "Implementation ofthe European Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive in rural areas" from 14th to 16th November 2001 in Magdeburg.

In the water protection field, the steps needed to bring national legislation in the Accession States into line with the European Union standard represent one of the biggest challenges of theaccession process. The Accession States have considerable deficits to overcome in implementing the Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC). The causes of this situation lie primarily inthe financial circumstances of these countries.

In Germany, too, the implementation of the Urban Waste-Water Treatment Directive necessitated a major upgrading and expansion of the waste-waster infrastructure and triggered very largeinvestments. The problems connected with implementation in the new Länder of eastern Germany are of particular relevance to the candidate accession countries, so the knowledge and expertiseacquired from tackling these problems can be of great help to them. By drawing on the available technologies and the experience of applying European law gained in countries of their EU westernneighbours, the Accession States have an opportunity to learn lessons and avoid mistakes when completing this "modernising leap".

Similar to the situation in the Central and Eastern European countries, the waste-water infrastructure in the new Länder was in such a desolate condition immediately after Germanreunification that some of the existing sewage disposal systems could not even be rehabilitated. Cost-effective solutions were therefore sought in order to contain the immense costs required forredevelopment.

The workshop is expected to contribute to the more efficient upgrading of waste-water collection and treatment systems in compliance with EU standards. This means targeting financial resourcesmore carefully and more economically in the water protection sector and avoiding local planning mistakes and measures that are regionally uncoordinated. The workshop paid particular attention to thepotential for applying decentralised waste-water treatment concepts, especially as a solution in rural areas.