EurEau elects new President

The European Federation of National Associations of Water Services elects a new president, committee chairs and Executive Board, to oversee the continued protection of Europe’s water consumers and the environment.

In Brussels, 28 May 2021 Europe’s water services re-elected Dr Claudia Castell-Exner as EurEau President for the next two years.

Claudia comes from the German association DVGW, where she leads the water management, quality and usage team. She is also the Director of European Water Policy.

“It has been an honour to lead Europe’s water policy during the last two turbulent years, and I’m looking forward to continuing this work. We’ve seen for the first time the involvement of all stakeholders from catchment to tap to provide safe drinking water for consumers through the Drinking Water Directive, and we are looking to better consumer and environmental protection with the upcoming revisions for our waste water knowing that the starting point must be ambitious control-at-source measures.”

“The value of water and its services continue to play a vital role in our society. These next years are crucial as the EU proceeds with the European Green Deal strategies that promise to fight pollution and deliver a green future. We call on the Commission to put water front and centre of their initiatives as we want a blue future.”

Claudia has 30 years’ experience of working in the water sector at both the national and the European levels. Amongst her priorities for the next years are shaping our water services future by extending EurEau’s outreach at both European and international levels.

EurEau also elected new Committee Chairs and an executive board at today’s online meeting.

The full result of the EurEau elections, as voted by their peers are:

• Claudia Castell-Exner – Germany (BDEW and DVGW) – EurEau President
• Riina Liikanen (Finland (FIWA)) and Miquel Paraira (Spain (AEAS)) – co-Chairs of the EurEau Committee on Drinking Water
• Michaël Bentvelsen (The Netherlands (Unie van Watterschappen and Vewin)) and Sarah Gillman (United Kingdom (Water UK)) – co-Chairs of the EurEau Committee on Waste Water

• Denis Bonvillain (France (FP2E)) and Gari Villa‐Landa Sokolova (Spain (AEAS)) – co-Chairs of the EurEau Committee on Economics and Legal Affairs.

The full Executive Committee will be composed of Alain Gillis (Treasurer) (Belgaqua, Belgium), Luigi del Giacco (Utilitalia, Italy), Klara Ramm, (IGWP, Poland), Mircea Valentin Macri (ARA, Romania), Iztok Rozman (CCIS-CPU, Slovenia), Mariano Blanco Orozco (AEAS, Spain) Pär Dalhielm (Svenskt Vatten, Sweden) and Stuart Colville (Water UK, United Kingdom). All parties take up their new positions from 01 July 2021.