European Population Connected to Wastewater Treatment by Country

In 2023, France and Norway lead the European population connected to wastewater treatment with values exceeding 100%, indicating comprehensive coverage. Netherlands, Malta, Austria, Finland, and Denmark also have full coverage. Luxembourg and Belgium follow closely with over 98% coverage. Countries like Slovenia and Croatia are nearing 98%, while Poland and Greece provide coverage exceeding 95%. Ireland and Bulgaria also maintain high coverage above 90%. Spain, Hungary, and Czech Republic range between mid-80% to high-80%. The Baltic states such as Latvia and Lithuania hover in the low 80%, while Romania drops significantly to 61.7%. South-eastern European countries Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Serbia exhibit the lowest coverage, with under 40% connected to wastewater treatment.

Forecast trends in 2024 indicate continued focus on improving wastewater treatment infrastructure across Europe. Northern and Western European countries are expected to maintain or slightly improve their high connection rates. Eastern and Southeastern countries will likely see moderate to significant improvements, driven by EU funding and national investments in wastewater infrastructure. Close attention should be paid to the pace of growth in Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania, and Serbia, as they strive to align with higher European standards.