Scientific advice on Proposed EU minimum quality requirements for water reuse in agricultural irrigation and aquifer recharges

WG on water reuse
SCHEER members: Renate Krätke, Marian Scott, Marco Vighi, Pim de Voogt
External experts: Jan Linders, Luigi Rizzo
Contact:SANTE-C2-SCHEERec [dot] europa [dot] eu (SANTE-C2-SCHEER[at]ec[dot]europa[dot]eu)
On request from: European Commission
Adopted on: 09 June 2017

Content of the Opinion

Following a request from the Commission, the Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks (SCHEER) reviewed the report prepared by the European Commission Joint Research Centre on “Proposed EU minimum quality requirements for water reuse in agricultural irrigation and aquifer recharge".

The SCHEER concludes that, while the methodology chosen is appropriate and the report considers many important elements, the document is deficient in key details. The SCHEER recommends that the description of the methodology be extended and detailed guidance be provided on how minimum quality requirements should be derived. The SCHEER is of the opinion that, in its current form, the minimum quality requirements proposed provide insufficient protection both to environmental and human health.

Keywords:

water reuse, agricultural irrigation, aquifer recharge, minimum quality requirements

Opinion to be cited as:

SCHEER (Scientific Committee on Health, Environmental and Emerging Risks), Scientific advice on Proposed EU minimum quality requirements for water reuse in agricultural irrigation and aquifer recharge, 9 June 2017.