Legislation boosts markets

In the European Union, water use is regulated by the Water Framework Directive. All large markets – such as the United States, Brazil and China – have similar laws and regulations.

In addition to legislation, water protection is guided by many international agreements. The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) is the governing body of the Convention on the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Baltic Sea. The convention works for reducing phosphorous and nitrogen emissions, which increase eutrophication.

The treatment of sludge is also regulated by multi-level legislation in both environmental and agricultural sectors.The most important guidelines are the norms set for drinking water and wastewater, and the standards for the products used in water treatment. These standards vary from one country to another.