Sweco Belgium
Industry and water: permit certainty starts with demonstrable water quality
For industry, water is at once a raw material, a process medium, a cooling medium, a carrier and a receiving environment. Yet its availability, once taken for granted, is under pressure. Water quality in Flanders does not meet European objectives, while the deadline set by the Water Framework Directive is fast approaching. By December 2027, groundwater and surface water must achieve good ecological and chemical status. For industrial companies, water quality is therefore becoming a strategic factor in permits, investments and business continuity.
In August, water takes centre stage at Sweco. We look at water as a system, because water does not stop at the plot boundary, the discharge pipe or the edge of an industrial estate. Every intervention has an impact on the wider water cycle: from precipitation, infiltration and groundwater to process water, wastewater, surface water and reuse.
For industrial players, this systems perspective is more important today than ever before.
It is five to twelve for our water quality. We can no longer afford business as usual. If we want to convince Europe that Flanders is genuinely working hard to improve water quality, everyone needs to play their part: government, agriculture, industry, nature, local authorities and water managers. Otherwise, from 2027 onwards, we will face serious legal uncertainty and possibly even a freeze on permits.
Jo Brouns, Flemish Minister for the Environment in De Standaard, 8 June 2026
From environmental issue to permit risk
Recent warnings from Flemish Minister for the Environment Jo Brouns show just how urgent this issue has become.
From 2027 onwards, Flanders must be able to demonstrate to Europe why the objectives have not been met and which targeted measures are being taken.
From 2028 onwards, Europe is expected to scrutinise water quality more closely, with tighter binding obligations.
Any company that discharges water, expands, renews its permit or plans new activities will increasingly have to demonstrate that its activities:
- do not cause deterioration in the receiving watercourse;
- do not jeopardise the achievement of good status.
Complying with permitted discharge limits is no longer enough
The Water Framework Directive is based on the principle that no deterioration is permitted and applies the so-called “one out, all out” principle:
if one parameter does not comply, the entire water body fails to achieve good status.
A discharge may therefore fall within the individual permitted limit and still be problematic for the receiving water system. The assessment is shifting from individual discharge limits to the overall impact on the watercourse.
Factors taken into account include:
- the existing quality of the receiving water body;
- the background concentrations of certain substances;
- the cumulative impact of multiple dischargers;
- the ecological carrying capacity of the water system;
- the contribution of the discharge to potential deterioration;
- the feasibility of additional measures.
That is precisely why an integrated water strategy is needed. Our consultants view industrial wastewater as part of the entire water cycle: from water abstraction through to its impact on surface water and groundwater.
Being able to demonstrate effective monitoring is becoming increasingly important in discussions with authorities, water managers and stakeholders – and strengthens permit certainty for new projects, expansions and permit renewals.
Wim Kerstens, Team Leader Water for Industry at Sweco
Pesticides, PFAS, TFA, salts and metals: pressure is mounting
Pesticides
In the food industry, pesticide residues or degradation products, such as metabolites including 1,2,4-triazole, can enter process water via supplied vegetables, fruit or other raw materials.
When products are washed, these substances can find their way back into the water system via industrial wastewater.
This raises complex questions.
Where does the substance enter the company?
Which sub-streams contain the highest concentrations?
Which treatment techniques are feasible?
What responsibility does each link in the chain bear?
PFAS
PFAS also remain an important area of concern. PFAS may be linked to production processes, historical contamination, firefighting activities or run-off from industrial sites.
These substances can also enter the water system via drainage water, seepage, dewatering or discharge.
Evolving insights
The recent classification of TFA as a substance of concern illustrates how quickly scientific insights, European classifications and policy expectations can evolve.
Companies therefore benefit from robust water strategies that can also accommodate the future tightening of standards and the introduction of new parameters.
Conventional parameters
Conventional parameters such as chlorides, sulphates, cobalt, nitrogen and phosphorus also remain important.
Especially where these substances are already present in elevated concentrations in the receiving water body, an additional industrial discharge can increase pressure on the water system.
Five actions your company can take now
Do not wait until a permit renewal or expansion is formally under way.
Start analysing today which water streams, discharges or dewatering activities may have an impact on surface water and groundwater.
A well-substantiated approach starts with a targeted water audit. This involves sampling different sub-streams, such as first-wash water, second-wash water, process water and effluent. It makes clear where the highest concentrations occur and where interventions will have the greatest effect.
This is not just a technical exercise. It is also about being able to demonstrate what you are doing. If you can show that you monitor, test, optimise and take reasonable measures, you will be in a stronger position in discussions with authorities, water managers, customers and other stakeholders.
For companies discharging industrial wastewater into surface water, impact assessment using the Flemish Environment Agency’s Weser tool is playing an increasingly important role.
If, during a new permit application or permit renewal, one or more parameters are found to be critical, this may lead to additional conditions, further substantiation, stricter monitoring or the need for more advanced treatment.
That is why it is crucial to carry out this analysis before preparing the permit application. Early insight into critical parameters, potential bottlenecks and realistic measures increases permit certainty and helps avoid late-stage surprises.
When an impact assessment shows that the existing discharge standards are not sufficient to achieve the required quality, a BAT+ approach comes into play.
A BAT+ study systematically maps out:
- which additional treatment or process measures are possible: at source, in a sub-stream or end-of-pipe;
- whether they are technically feasible within the local business context;
- what investment and operating costs they entail;
- whether the measure is economically viable for the company.
This assessment is essential.
Structural monitoring demonstrates that, as a company, you understand, track and actively manage your water impact. Being able to demonstrate this is becoming increasingly important in discussions with authorities, water managers and stakeholders – and strengthens permit certainty for new projects, expansions and permit renewals.
Also read these articles about water in industry
Also read these articles about water in industry
The role of water quality in making projects feasible and permit-ready
Aquatic sediment studies: a new responsibility for owners, operators and managing authorities
Water strategies for pharma: from purification to efficient use
Make a difference with a proactive water strategy
The biggest mistake companies can make today is to wait until a permit renewal or expansion is formally under consideration. By then, time is limited, alternatives are harder to explore and there is less room for consultation.
A proactive water strategy creates more options.
This is essential today, especially for water-intensive sectors such as food companies, petrochemical and chemical companies, logistics sites and infrastructure managers.
Sweco supports you from analysis through to implementation
Sweco supports industrial players at every stage of their water challenge with solutions that are technically feasible, economically justified and robust from a permitting perspective.
We combine hydrological, environmental engineering, ecological, process-related and spatial expertise for:
- impact assessments of industrial wastewater;
- preparation and interpretation of the Weser test;
- monitoring and sampling campaigns;
- water audits and sub-stream analyses;
- BAT and BAT+ studies;
- investigation of process optimisation and source control measures;
- selection and evaluation of treatment techniques;
- cost-benefit analyses;
- support with permitting and consultation processes;
- strategies for water reuse, buffering, infiltration and discharge reduction;
- development of a scientifically robust water strategy.
We always look beyond the discharge point.
A measure is only sustainable if it fits within the entire water system and the operational reality of the company.
Would you like to understand
what impact your discharge has on the water system?
Which parameters are critical?
Which measures are feasible for your company?
Sweco helps you make the right choices before water quality becomes a permitting risk.
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