Europe's water emergency: A citizens’ initiative demands EU action for clean and sustainable water

The urgent reality: Europe's water challenge 

Over 10 million EU citizens still lack access to safe drinking water. Droughts in southern regions leave farmers struggling, while devastating floods in Valencia, Poland or Austria overwhelm communities. Meanwhile, 20% of our distributed water is lost due to leaks and mismanagement. The ECI for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe is about ensuring universal access to clean water, investing in sustainable water management and preventing waste.

Water is the essence of life, the flowing thread connecting our past, present and future. Across Europe, communities have been shaped by water, by rivers, lakes, seas and intricate networks of wells and canals that have sustained civilisations for centuries. Yet today, this fundamental resource is under immense strain. 

I recently returned from Sri Lanka, a country where water is woven into daily life. Ancient reservoirs, rice paddies, and coastal waters show how deeply water shapes civilisation. In Fort Galle, a guide told me: “Tracing Sri Lanka's heritage through the prism of water is vital to understanding the challenges of the present and the future.” This struck me as exactly what we aim to do with the ECI: ensure that water is recognised not just as an environmental issue but as a pillar of resilience, sustainability and justice.

Demanding a water-smart and resilient Europe

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) for a Water-Smart and Resilient Europe offers a chance for citizens to shape the future of water policy. 

We demand a complete transformation in how Europe governs, protects and prioritises water. We need an EU that stops wasting and mismanaging water, invests in sustainable and innovative solutions and ensures that everyone, regardless of where they live, has access to clean, safe water.

Our ECI strengthens the call for a comprehensive EU approach, where water security is embedded in legislation and funding strategies. Without a coordinated European effort, inequalities in access and mismanagement will continue to grow. Geopolitical realities make this even more pressing. From desertification to conflicts over water access, global stability depends on sustainable water governance. Europe must lead by example, ensuring that water remains a common good, protected from short-term economic pressures.

Local action, global impact: building water resilience 

While visibility for our Initiative at the EU level has grown, real change happens on the ground. That is where we are focusing our efforts right now: raising awareness, mobilising local engagement and building a collective demand for action that forces EU leaders to treat water resilience as top priority.

Despite the urgency, gathering signatures is proving to be a challenge. We are bringing the conversation on water resilience to people everywhere, not only policymakers, but communities, youth groups, activists, and everyday citizens. Through grassroots outreach, national-level engagement, and collaboration with networks across Europe, we are ensuring that people understand that water is everyone’s issue, no matter their background or profession. Whether through events, social media, direct advocacy or local partnerships, we are making it clear: water connects us all, and securing it is a shared responsibility. 

We have been expanding our campaign by collaborating with organisations working in environmental justice, youth engagement, and social equity, ensuring that the campaign resonates across different sectors, including climate activism, public health, agriculture, urban planning, human rights, education and social inclusion. Water resilience affects food security, housing, disaster preparedness and economic justice, making it an issue that cuts across multiple fields and communities. By connecting with groups from grassroots movements to international advocacy networks, we are ensuring that water is seen not just as an environmental issue, but as a fundamental pillar of social and economic justice. 

One of our most effective approaches has been working in all languages, making the campaign as accessible as possible to citizens across Europe. We are actively stripping away bureaucratic and technical language to make the campaign accessible, engaging, and relevant to everyday people. Instead of complex policy terms, we use clear, relatable messaging that connects water resilience to people’s daily lives. 

For example, rather than saying, “Mainstreaming water considerations into EU regulatory frameworks to enhance cross-sectoral policy coherence”, we say “Putting water at the heart of EU policies so it is protected in farming, cities and energy systems.”

By focusing on real life consequences rather than institutional phrasing, we make sure everyone, not just policymakers, understands why water resilience matters and why their voice is essential.

Our specific demands: clean water and stronger EU policies 

Our Initiative asks the European Commission to:

• Ensure clean water for everyone - whether in a major city or a rural community, every household, farm and business must have safe, reliable access to water.
• Implement stronger EU policies to tackle water crises - from droughts and pollution to crumbling infrastructure, we need EU leadership to prioritise water governance across all sectors. 
• We want an EU-wide commitment to ending water waste and mismanagement - over 20% of our water is lost to leaks and inefficiencies, and harmful projects that threaten our water supply must stop.

“We have so much water around us that the presence of good quality drinking water seems self-evident. And that is, of course, not the case.” His words remind us that even in regions where water appears abundant, it is not always safe or secure.

Sabrina has seen how unreliable water access harms marginalised communities, turning water scarcity into a human rights issue. 

This perspective highlights why action is needed now!

The European citizens' initiative - the natural choice for citizen impact on EU policy 

The ECI was the natural choice for this campaign because it gives citizens direct influence over EU policy. Our decision was shaped by our work in the FLOW (Futures Lives with Oceans and Water) Horizon project, which highlighted how deeply people, particularly young generations, connect to water. Through that project, we saw a strong desire for structural change in how Europe manages its water resources. The ECI allows citizens to turn this vision into action by demanding legislative change. Unlike petitions or consultations, an ECI requires the European Commission to respond and potentially initiate new laws if one million signatures are gathered. Given that water governance needs to be elevated as a strategic priority within EU policymaking, on par with climate and energy, this tool was the most effective way to ensure citizens’ voices were heard at the highest level.

On 22 March, the world marks World Water Day, a moment to reflect on water security and the actions we must take. The European Commission is considering a European Water Resilience Strategy and input is being gathered from all interested parties. As Commissioner Jessika Roswall states in an interview for Water News Europe: “Water is increasingly under pressure, and we cannot take it for granted. We need to strategically think about this resource – just like we have done on energy.”

However, water resilience cannot be achieved through policy alone. It requires a fundamental shift in how we, as societies, view and manage water. Our ECI provides a way for citizens to influence this agenda and push for stronger EU action. This is directly linked to the EU Blue Deal, which aims to put water at the heart of Europe’s sustainability policies. 

The EU Blue Deal is a plan by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) to make water a top priority in Europe, just like climate and energy. It aims to protect water resources, prevent shortages and pollution, and ensure fair access to clean water for everyone. The goal is to create smart policies that help communities, businesses, and nature thrive, making sure water is used wisely for the future.

This isn’t just about governments or policies. The water crisis doesn’t just affect a few places. It touches every single one of us, wherever we live. From floods and droughts to polluted rivers and aging infrastructure, water challenges are everyone’s challenges. But with citizen help, we can change this.

We invite your to join us and sign. Water is our most precious resource. Together, we can make Europe water-smart and resilient.

Visit the initiative website here. 

Explore the initiative's official page here. 

External links:

1. European Commission – Call for Evidence: European Water Resilience Strategy https://environment.ec.europa.eu/news/call-evidence-begins-eu-water-resilience-strategy-2025-02-04_en
2. EU Blue Deal Declaration by the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) https://www.eesc.europa.eu/en/our-work/publications-other-work/publications/declaration-eu-blue-deal
3. World Water Day 2025 (United Nations) https://www.worldwaterday.org/
4. Article on Water Resilience in Europe (Water News Europe) https://www.waternewseurope.com/work-on-water-resilience-strategy-has-finally-taken-off/
5. Dutch Article by André Hudepohl on the ECI https://www.vrijwilligerswerk.nl/nieuws+en+blogs/2988820.aspx?t=Europees-Burgerinitiatief-over-Water-jouw-handtekening-telt