As Europe faces increasing water challenges—from droughts to rising urban water demand—EVVE has submitted its response to the European Commission’s Call for Evidence on the European Water Resilience Strategy.
The buildings sector alone accounts for 28% of the water abstracted in the EU and 13% of its total consumption. With such a significant footprint, buildings must be at the core of the European Water Resilience Strategy (EWRS).
Our key recommendations include:
- Recognising buildings as a cornerstone of the Water Resilience Strategy – Given that 60-80% of public water supply in cities is used for households, the built environment presents a major opportunity for water efficiency gains.
- Mandating harmonised water submetering across the EU – Individual metering empowers consumers by providing real-time consumption data, leading to behavioural changes that reduce water use and enhance efficiency.
- Setting sector-specific water efficiency targets – Just as energy efficiency targets have driven progress in reducing consumption, tailored targets for different sectors will accelerate water savings.
- Adopting a ‘Water Efficiency First’ principle – Prioritising water demand reduction over costly supply-side solutions (such as desalination) is the most effective way to enhance Europe’s long-term water security.
The Impact of Smart Water Metering
If all residential flats in the EU were equipped with individual water meters and billed based on actual consumption, annual water savings could reach 1,356 million m³—equivalent to an entire year of freshwater abstraction in Czechia or three days of total water use across the EU. Moreover, studies show that smart meters can detect leaks rapidly, leading to significant reductions in wastage.
EVVE’s submission highlights case studies from across Europe, including:
- The UK’s 2021 Environment Act, which aims to reduce per capita public water consumption by 20% by 2037 through smart metering.
- A large-scale study in France, where smart meters detected nearly 1 million leaks in 2023, preventing the loss of 1.42 million m³ of water.
- Denmark’s national guidelines, which estimate that individual water metering can unlock up to 20% savings in water consumption.
- A study conducted in Germany, demonstrating that smart metering systems powered by AI enable early detection and repair of malfunctions and adjusting oversized hot water boilers for improved efficiency.
To make Europe’s water use more resilient and sustainable, it is essential to leverage proven solutions such as smart water submetering. By integrating these measures into the Water Resilience Strategy, the EU can strengthen its approach to tackling water scarcity while benefiting consumers and the environment.
EVVE’s full response to the Call for Evidence:
EVVE Answer to EWRS Call for Evidence
Supporting studies:
Annex I – Ista France – Barometer 2024 on Water Leakage
Annex II – Techem Group – Techem Research Institute on Sustainability (TRIOS) – Analysis of cold and hot water consumption and Costs in the German Multi-Family Housing Stock, 2025
Annex III – Report of the Danish Working Group on Mandatory Individual Use of Water Meters
