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Grundfos raises its voice to advance water and sanitation in Europe

As part of a coalition of society and industry stakeholders, Grundfos call on EU institutions to make the human right to water and sanitation a European Union law.

Today, 26 organisations, including Grundfos, released a joint statement calling on the EU institutions to enshrine the Human Right to Water and Sanitation in EU law.

The scope is to ensure that European policy-makers secure better access to the approximately 10 million people living in the EU, who lack access to appropriate sanitation, stressing that universal access to decent and safe sanitation services is a fundamental need and a human right.

“Ensuring and providing access to water and sanitation for people is a central part of our strategy, and has been for a long while, and the importance of access to water and sanitation for human health has only been accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Peter Trillingsgaard, Group Vice President, Communication, Public Affairs & Sustainability Engagement.

“On top of this immediate concern, working to advance water and sanitation connects with our Values and Purpose, as well as our strategic ambitions and actions,” Peter Trillingsgaard continues.

Furthermore, Grundfos has worked targeted to advance water and sanitation also by being a passionate supporter of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 6, which is focussed specifically on ensuring universal access to water and sanitation, since the goal was introduced in 2015.

On an EU level, environment ministers will be gathering in Luxembourg to discuss water policy on 23 October. In the eyes of the coalition, this provides a valuable opportunity to address the issue of access to sanitation in the upcoming revision of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive.

“We are hoping that an article promoting access to sanitation will be included in the new Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive, continuing the positive actions taken, when an article to promote water access was introduced in the Drinking Water Directive,” says Peter Trillingsgaard.

The signatories include: Acciona, AEAS, AISE. Almar Water Solutions, AquaFed, Aquafin, AquaFlanders, Aqualia, Canal de Isabel II, De Watergroep, DuPont, Ecolab, FP2E, Global Omnium, Grundfos, Kimberly-Clark, Krüger, Our Future Water, Remondis, Saur, Suex, Unilever, Veolia, Water Europe, WEO and Xylem.

All signatories are fully committed to promoting and achieving Human Rights to Water and Sanitation and advancing SDG 6.