On 3 November, WE Data Europe organised an event at the European Parliament, hosted by MEP Kristian Vigenin (S&D, Bulgaria). It marked the conclusion of the #EveryDropCounts campaign, which has been running since the summer to promote best practices and first movers deploying smart water metering in Europe.
The discussion highlighted broad stakeholder support for accelerating the deployment of smart water metering across Europe, including through a clear EU-wide framework and ambitious deployment targets for both new and existing buildings.
It brought together policymakers, industry representatives and key stakeholders to explore how we can accelerate the rollout of smart water metering across Europe.
MEP Kristian Vigenin opened with an important reminder: “We cannot afford to waste our water resources.” He also highlighted the need to match digitalisation ambitions with practical support, keeping consumers at the centre and ensuring no Member State is left behind.
Pernille Weiss-Ehler, member of Commissionner Jessika Roswall Cabinet, European Commissionner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Economy also emphasised that smart water metering is essential as it provides the necessary data layer to develop a water-smart society, an EU objective formulated in the Water Resilience Strategy, illustrating her support for the deployment of the technology.
Four of our campaign participants – OCEA, Brunata, the City of Zaragoza and Water Europe – shared their experiences and insights, showing how better data and digitalisation can help build a more resilient and efficient water sector. You can check their contributions to the campaign here.
Three priorities emerged from the discussion:
- A clear EU-level political mandate for smart water metering
- Strong incentives and support schemes to accelerate deployment
- Targets for new and existing buildings to accelerate deployment
Turning this ambition into reality requires strong EU leadership and an enabling regulatory framework. WE Data Europe looks forward to the upcoming Smart Water Metering for All Initiative, which has the potential to set a clear direction and accelerate progress across Europe.
