Blue Flag should be extended to rivers and lakes

Blue Flag should be extended to rivers and lakesThe EU's Blue Flag scheme used on coastal beaches to show that water is safe should be introduced for all bathing areas including inland waterways, the European Parliament said this week.The measure is one of a range of recommendations MEPs want included in an EU Blueprint to safeguard Europe's Water Resources, due to be published in November.Labour MEP Nessa Childers, who voted in favour of the move, said broadening the reach of the Blue Flag scheme would boost tourism and help to protect bathers."When you think of the numbers of people who holiday near lakes and rivers, it makes sense to increase the appeal of these resources by giving them the option of achieving Blue Flag status," said Ms Childers.MEPs also urged the Commission to make the reduction of water consumption a priority and carry out an audit on the entire European water network."As much as 70% of the water supplied to European cities is lost as a result of leaks in the water system. The figure in Ireland is a lot lower, but we still need to replace a lot of faulty pipes in our towns and cities," she said.Ms Childers said Brussels should fund the replacement of bad pipes in Ireland as part of a growth stimulus package and invest in awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of conserving water.