EU targets Norway's water quality

OSLO, Norway, May 13 (UPI) -- European Union officials said Norway needs to build new sewage treatment plants and clean up polluted harbors to comply with EU water quality standards.

Norway isn't a member of the EU but must comply with water regulations to be a included in a European economic cooperation agreement, Aftenposten said Tuesday.

The newspaper said urban water systems in Norway are outdated. Residents of Oslo were hit with a boil order last fall after parasites were found in some samples. Contaminated water in Bergen has made several people seriously ill.

Erik Solheim, Norway's minister in charge of environmental issues, said 25 percent of the country's water fails to meet EU standards. He said the country will invest in new water quality monitoring schemes, construction of new water and sewage treatment plants.