European attitude to the disposal of wastewater in the sea: the case for a (European) network for sea outfall research

A network of European organisations with interests in the utilisation of long sea outfalls as an integral element in the sewerage of coastal communities has recently been established. The central aim is to provide a focus both for the adoption of best practices and the identification of outstanding problem areas across the European community, against the background of the standards of practice demanded by the recent implementation of the European Commission's (EC) Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. This article is intended both to inform a wider audience of the existence of the network and to extend the call for membership both to European parties and others interested in being informed on European developments in this area.