Equitable access to drinking-water: focus on European Union member states

The European Union's (EU) 2020 Drinking Water Directive (DWD) requires member states to advance equitable access to drinking-water and topromote tap water. Although access to drinking-water is high in most EU member states, disparities still exist, for example, among vulnerableand marginalized groups such as the homeless, Roma, and traveller groups. To analyze challenges and measures taken in high-income EUmember states, we reviewed national reports from the WHO/UNECE Protocol on Water and Health and conducted a survey and interviewsamong water regulators. Reported barriers include insufficient data, a lack of mechanisms to identify vulnerable and marginalized groups, alack of investment in rural areas, affordability concerns, and limited coordination between institutions. Measures comprise improving data onaccess by vulnerable and marginalized groups, introducing or revising social tariffs, and directing funding to rural areas. As the barriers arecrosscutting, the involvement of all relevant institutions is crucial, and coordination and cooperation between the national and local level isindispensable. The DWD creates momentum for progressing equitable access in the EU and is expected to foster evidence-based governmentactions to improve equitable access to drinking-water