Commissioner Roswalls keynote address at the event, Water Innovation Europe 2025

Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.

We are here because water, the most vital of all resources, is also the most undervalued.

Lets start with a single, startling image:

The mighty Rhine River – an economic artery of Europe – running so low that navigation is impossible.

This is not a distant nightmare; it has happened before. It will happen again. And it will keep happening until we take concrete action.

For too long, we have treated water as an infinite commodity.

That cannot continue.

The great European project of the next twenty years needs to recognise and realise the true value of water — as part of its mission to build strategic autonomy and address climate change.

This commitment is now enshrined in the European Water Resilience Strategy – which promises to build a truly water-smart economy.

Water Europe played an important role in the Strategys development. And you will play a vital role in its implementation.  

So I am delighted to be part of todays event.

What is the true cost of water failure?

Well, we are threatened by too much or too little water. Think about parched cities or flooded streets.

People getting sick from unsafe water.

Factories shutting up shop and power plants shutting down.

Our lights going out and our fields going dry.

Massive biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse.

The question is – how do we respond to these risks?

I see two overarching solutions.

One, we collaborate.

Thankfully, there is a growing momentum behind water protection and preservation.

Just last week I discussed water challenges with EU environment ministers – in addition to many exchanges with the European Parliament.  

We must harness this energy to deliver real change.

And two, we commit to innovation.

That doesnt only mean invention.

It also means the practical implementation of revolutionary ideas.

And it means the deployment of modern water technologies that are sitting on shelves ready to go.

Now, I want to discuss the three pillars of a water-smart Europe.

First, we digitalise and modernise.

For too long, water has been managed by old habits.

By out-dated infrastructure.

And by reactive decision-making.

A simple example? We wait for the pipe to burst before we act.

In the EU, nearly a quarter of treated water is lost during distribution.

And in some cities, up to 57 % of treated water is lost before it even reaches a single consumer.

This waste is unacceptable.

We are responding with the Water Efficiency First principle – our commitment to a 10 % improvement in water efficiency by 2030.

And, next year, the Commission will adopt a Digitalisation Action Plan that will help to manage every drop effectively.

We have proposed several actions to address large funding gaps in water management, such as a Water Resilience Investment Accelerator and a new EIB Water Programme.

The Commission has also proposed an exceptional package of measures to encourage Members States and regions to invest in water resilience.

On top of improving efficiency, the economic opportunity here is immense.  

Europes digital water market is on track to double in size, growing to almost 23.5 billion euro by 2033.

This is not a forecast for a niche area; it is a 169-billion-euro spending opportunity for European tech.

We also know that investing in water is a proven growth driver: every 1 billion euro invested creates 16,000 jobs.

Not only that, its an investment in the very survival of our societies.

So, we must evolve from fixing failures to empowering data-driven, visionary decision-making.

Our second pillar addresses water quality and security.

The new Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive sets an ambitious deadline: by 2045, all wastewater treatment plants must achieve climate neutrality.

We need to see wastewater plants as resource factories.

I have seen this firsthand in my travels around Europe.

A new public-private partnership in Mannheim comes to mind – where wastewater residues are being converted into carbon-neutral fuel for ships.

There are tens of thousands of treatment plants in Europe – imagine the potential here. 

So we start by closing the loop:  We need a change in mindset and a new approach to water.

That means making water reuse a reflex.

The Water Reuse Regulation is crucial here – setting minimum standards for the reuse of treated wastewater in agriculture.

Now, we need to prioritise its implementation. 

And second, we must tackle the silent, growing public health risk posed by persistent chemicals and micropollutants, including PFAS.

Addressing these risks will safeguard water, protect human health, and strengthen our environmental integrity.

No technology, no matter how smart, can succeed without the right people and structures.

This brings us to our third pillar: building the human capital for a water resilient Europe.

The challenge is not just technical; it is systemic.

Innovation often fails not in the lab, but in the gap between sectors.

We must break down the siloes between water, energy, food, and urban planning.

Employment in the water sector is growing, but we face an ageing workforce and a skills gap.

We are taking concrete steps to address this, including:

• Developing a Research and Innovation Agenda for water, and
• Creating a European Water Academy for training and digital expertise.

We are also designing – as I speak – a Water Resilience Stakeholder Platform to mobilise all sectors, drive water efficiency and strengthen the sectors competitiveness.

I look forward to launching it at the upcoming Water Resilience Forum on the 8^th of December in Brussels – and I invite you all to join us.

Of course, water flows beyond our borders, and so too must our efforts to protect it.

We are working to foster transboundary cooperation, build strategic partnerships and strengthen water diplomacy globally -- including at Cairo Water Week, earlier this month, where I met with Ministers from the region.

And in New York, at the UN General Assembly in September, with global partners.

We will continue this global focus to develop global solutions.

Ladies and gentlemen,

We face immense challenges:

A porous water cycle.

A pollution crisis.

And out-dated infrastructure.

But these challenges also offer an opportunity to redefine the future of European competitiveness.

And solving them is a precondition for a cleaner and more sustainable future for citizens.

Our path is clear: Innovation, collaboration, investment and long-term vision.

When we embed the true value of water into how we manufacture our goods, grow our food or plan our cities – we are creating a Water-Smart Europe.

And we are building a continent that is not only resilient to increasing shocks, but one that can inspire the rest of the world.

Ladies and gentlemen, I look forward to seeing you at the Water Resilience Forum next month.

And together, we can set a path towards an EU that doesnt have to worry about water waste, scarcity, quality, or even the levels of our mighty rivers. 

Now, lets get to work. When it comes to water, every moment matters and every drop counts.

Thank you.