“Water resilience is not only an environmental necessity, it is a foundation for Europe’s economic and industrial strength. Consulting engineers are the most qualified and experienced industry professionals to design and implement the solutions that will make Europe water-smart, resilient, and competitive,” says Inés Ferguson, President of EFCA, as the Federation publishes its latest position paper.
Water is a fundamental resource for people, ecosystems, and the economy. As such, EFCA strongly supports the elevation of water resilience as a key pillar of Europe’s climate, environmental, and industrial policies. However, Europe faces mounting water stress driven by climate related droughts and floods, ageing infrastructure, pollution, and underinvestment. Consulting engineers call for an ambitious, integrated, and operational framework that fully leverages their expertise to safeguard Europe’s water resources, competitiveness, and societal well-being.
As water does not stop at national borders, stronger EU-level governance, harmonised planning, and the implementation of existing legislation are all essential. Water resilience is absolutely critical to the EU’s strategic sectors, from batteries and chips to hydrogen and data centres. EFCA calls for “water-smart” planning, aligning industrial development with local water availability, efficiency, and reuse, while integrating nature-based solutions such as sponge cities, river restoration, and wetland rehabilitation.
“Engineering expertise must be at the heart of water-resilient systems. We need more natural solutions and with the right policy framework and investment, we can solve the water crisis before we reach the point of no return,” adds Nele de Smet, Chair of EFCA’s Working Group on Water Resilience and Member of the Board of Directors.
Water resilience must be a shared European responsibility. Through technical leadership and constructive policy engagement, EFCA is committed to supporting the EU’s goal of sustainable, efficient, and climate-adapted water systems.
Download EFCA's full position paper
Press contact: Sue Arundale, Director General
EDITOR’S NOTE: EFCA has member associations in 27 countries and is the sole European federation representing the business interests of professional engineering consultancy and related services, a sector that employs more than one million staff in Europe.