European drinking water receives upgrade
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(BRUSSELS) - Europeans are assured of improved quality and access to drinking water as of Thursday, when new requirements from the revised Drinking Water Directive became the norm across the EU.
The new rules will ensure one of the highest standards in the world for drinking water, says the EU Commission, in line with a zero pollution ambition announced in the 'European Green Deal'.
"As of today, Europeans can be confident that the quality of the water they are drinking is of the highest standards," said Environment Commissioner Virginius Sinkevicius: "We are tackling dangerous chemicals and microplastics that end up in drinking water, making it safe for us to drink, and safe for the environment. I hope that with improved confidence in tap water, citizens can also contribute to reducing plastic waste from bottled water and marine litter."
To ensure the high quality of drinking water, the Drinking Water Directive includes updated safety standards, introduces a methodology to identify and manage quality risks in the whole water supply chain, establishes a watch list of emerging substances such as microplastics, endocrine disruptors, as well as new types of chemicals to be monitored and introduces conformity provisions for products to be used in contact with drinking water.
The new directive tackles water leakages as now on average 23% of the treated water is lost during distribution in the EU. The Directive also includes new provisions that require Member States to improve and maintain access to drinking water for all, and for vulnerable and marginalised groups in particular.
The transposition of the recast legislation into national law will improve the protection of human health for all EU citizens and contribute to protecting the environment from the release of these harmful substances. Member States will have to communicate to the Commission the text of the main provisions of national law which they adopt in the field covered by this Directive.