Effective water resource management, (both quality and quantity) relies on good forward planning and delivery based on data, information and professional judgement. It is essential that economic growth in each Member State supports planned sustainable water resource protection and utilisation.
Implementation of the WFD is dependent upon good regulatory practice to produce good River Basin Management Plans and to implement the associated Programmes of Measures in a timely and effective way. The Water Framework Directive requires Member States to manage their water resources at catchment and water body level. This may require new thinking and ways of working in order to achieve the Directive’s requirements.
On the other hand, various waste materials—including compost, digestate, and ashes—are applied to land across Europe. One of the most significant by volume and environmental impact is sewage sludge, the solid by-product of urban wastewater treatment. Also known as biosolids when treated, sludge contains valuable organic matter and nutrients but may also carry pollutants such as chemicals, microplastics, and pathogens.
When properly treated and managed, sludge can be recycled to farmland as an organic manure, supporting soil health and contributing to circular economy goals. This approach is considered sustainable in many countries, including the UK. However, effective regulation is essential to ensure safe application, protect human and environmental health, and maximize agricultural benefits.
The SWETE Project (Safeguarding the Water Environment Throughout Europe) focused on building a common understanding of our regulatory approaches, build networks of experts and develop shared resources to enhance technical resilience, into the water environment area (and specifically on the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD). As a follow up SWETE project, Sustainable Landspreading Project focuses on the study of the capacity of soils to accept contaminants from land spreading activities.
2015: An exploratory study launched with a questionnaire to assess how Member States regulate point source discharges under the WFD.
2016: Focused on network-building and knowledge sharing through a Water Conference in Florence and a foundational workshop in Milan.
2017: Delved into wastewater discharge permitting and manure storage capacity through workshops in Bath (UK) and Aarhus (DK).
2019: Risk-based control in agriculture, with a workshop in Copenhagen (2019).
2020: Landspreading of waste materials and sludge was explored at a conference in Cranfield University (2020)
2021: Sludge management practices on sludge reuse and soil health were collected and compared.
2022–2024: A follow-up surveys and expert discussions were conducted to refine guidance and best practices.
The project reports are published under Project Outputs menu on the right-hand side.
Next Cycle (2025–2027)
The next cycle for Sustainable Landspreading project is builded on SWETE’s successes and address new and evolving challenges:
Focus Areas
- Treatment of sludge before agricultural use
- Harmonising sludge classification methods
- Addressing toxic constituents and environmental risks
- Strengthening public trust through transparency
- Promoting circular economy principles in line with the EU Sewage Sludge Directive review
Planned Outputs
- Integrated Legislative Guide on landspreading and sludge management
- Inspection Guide to support consistent and effective regulation