Bathing in the City

Date 07.09.2017 - 08.09.2017
Location Essen, Germany

The European Green Capital Award is rewarding cities which are making efforts to improve the urban environment and move towards healthier and sustainable living areas. The overarching message that the award scheme aims to communicate to the local level is that Europeans have a right to live in healthy urban areas. Cities should therefore strive to improve the quality of life of their citizens and reduce their impact on the global environment.

This message is brought together in the Award’s slogan “Green cities – fit for life”.

Under the motto of the Green Capital of Europe, the European Water Association (EWA), in cooperation with the German Association for Water, Wastewater and Waste (DWA) is organizing a conference on the topic of “Bathing in the cities” – discussing the quality of bathing water in Europe.

The overall quality of bathing water has steadily improved since coming into force of the Directive 76/160/EEC. The revised Bathing Water Directive adopted in 2006, uses scientific evidence from the most reliable health risk indicators in order to achieve high level of protection. The EU water policy has been successful in helping to protect water resources and services they provide to ecosystems. Good water management is a fundamental requirement to ensure safe supplies of essential resources. Good quality of bathing water is necessary for the human and ecosystem health. The efforts improving the quality of bathing water should be combined with those in the context of the good ecological and environmental status.

The conference will give overview of the requirements and recommendations of the European Commission regarding the status of bathing water. It will also give examples of best practice. 

Draft Programme is available here:

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