In the latest report by the European Environment Agency on the quality of bathing water in Europe in 2022, Austria lost first place to Cyprus with 96.9 percent. The third largest island in the Mediterranean, after Sicily and Sardinia, controlled 99.2 percent.
Of the 260 domestic resorts surveyed last year, 96.9 percent were classified as “excellent” – more than almost all other EU countries, as well as Albania and Switzerland. Leader In 2.3 percent of household bathing waters, the water quality was assessed as ‘good’.
“Quality in the EU is still high”
“The quality of bathing water in the EU remains high,” summarizes the report published Friday by the Copenhagen-based European Environment Agency (EEA). In the previous year, 85.7 percent of bathing water in the EU was classified as excellent, 95.9 percent met minimum quality standards.
According to the EMA, this confirms the positive trend of recent years. The quality of bathing water on the coast (88.9 percent “excellent”) is generally better than that of rivers and lakes. Only 79.3 percent of inland waterways have the highest rating.
Nearly 22,000 measuring points examined
A total of 21,658 measuring points in the EU and 315 in Albania and Switzerland were examined. 85.6 percent of them offered excellent water quality. At the bottom are Estonia (64.6 percent), Hungary (63.1 percent), Slovakia (59.4 percent) and Poland (55.9 percent).
EU minimum standards for water quality were met at 95.9 percent of sites – a minimal increase from last year. In only two EU countries, bathing water quality was poor at three percent or more of the locations: the Netherlands and Sweden.
In Albania, eight bathing waters were classified as poor quality (6.7 percent), but due to the construction of several sewage treatment plants, this number has dropped significantly since 2015 (39.1 percent).
The report also highlights other initiatives to improve water quality. For example, Paris is investing 1.4 billion euros to initially use the Seine as a swimming course for the triathlon competition at the 2024 Olympic Games. From 2025, 20 swimming and bathing areas will be opened along the Seine and the Marne.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
