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European waters getting cleaner, but big challenges remain

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News Published 03 Jul 2018 Last modified 09 Feb 2023

5 min read

Photo: © EEA/Peter Kristensen

Despite progress in improving the quality of Europe’s lakes, rivers, coastal waters and groundwater sources, pollution, structures like dams, and over-abstraction remain top threats to their long-term health. A vast majority of Europe’s water bodies still fail to meet the European Union’s minimum target for ‘good status’, according to a European Environment Agency ‘state of water’ report published today.