Comparison of European Water and Wastewater Prices, Part 1: Drinking Water

Abstract

The VEWA study compares the water supply and wastewater disposal systems in Germany, England/Wales, France, the Netherlands, Austria and Poland covering slightly over half of the population of the EU-28. In the course of the study, the water industry’s structure, infrastructures and investments, prices, grants, taxes and fees as well as standards of service and quality are compared in order to obtain differentiated conclusions regarding the extent to which prices are cost- covering and what level of service and quality is achieved with them Water supply and wastewater disposal systems are very different across the EU member states. Differences can be observed in the water industry’s structure, infrastructures and investments, prices, grants, taxes and fees as well as standards of service and quality. Nonetheless, there are standards and requirements set on a European level concerning the access to high quality, safe and sufficient drinking water as well as the protection of the environment from the adverse effects of urban waste-water discharges. So the water sector is the only economic sector in Europe for which EU directives lay down rules on the quality of services and on pricing with the objective of the recovery of costs.