Some of the other proposals include:
- the installation of water-saving devices on taps, shower heads and toilets;
- buildings to be built and designed with water saving in mind, including fines for excessive leaks;
- a new EU label to promote water-efficient and water-friendly products and devices.
Some EU countries bill consumers and companies for using water, while others have introduced special schemes..
These include a ban by Britain in 2005 on using hoses for watering gardens and washing cars during hot summer months, promoting showers rather than baths in Scandinavia and charging for tap water in nightclubs and bars.
However, a quick poll of people enjoying the hot sunshine in Brussels on Wednesday showed Dimas' plan to place an increased premium on water may not cut much ice with the public.
"Charging people or businesses is not the solution, or increasing their water bills, it's about educating people such as taking a shower instead of a bath," bar manager Lee Ober, 31, from the United States, told Reuters.
"Water along with food and shelter is a basic human commodity, so we should not be charged for it. If the EU is about solidarity, we should look at ways of getting water from countries with lots of water to those with problems," said Joe Lynam, a 36-year-old journalist from London.
Local businessman Tony Mallet, originally from Britain, said: "Europe isn't exactly short of rain, so come on. It's about forcing water companies, which already make lots of money, to invest in their infrastructure."
Said Riina Luik, an Estonian diplomat: "I would pay for a glass of tap water in a pub or restaurant or nightclub, especially if it increases the quality of water."
