BRUSSELS, May 18 (UPI) -- European member states are using too much water despite record rainfall across southern Europe in 2009, the European Commission said in Brussels.
The European Commission in a report published Tuesday warns that European member states are over-exploiting limited water resources.
Janez Potocnik, the environment commissioner for the European Union, said integrating water policy at the European and national level was a priority for sustainability.
"More than anything else, our water policies must be sustainable," he said. "We cannot afford to borrow water from the future."
Potocnik said that if Europe wants good water quality, it needs to adopt a cohesive and effective pricing mechanism that ensures efficiency.
He warned that the balance between availability and demand has reached the breaking point in some areas, with drought and climate change complicating the issue.
The European Commission said it has pressed for a water policy since 2009, adding that simple measures like reducing bathing time could cut water usage substantially.
The commission said it would focus on irrigation and urban usage in 2010 in preparation for a 2012 policy review.
