Skip to main content

News

EU consults on drinking water

The European Commission has launched a public consultation on drinking water policy, to see where improvements could be made. It covers areas such as the current level of drinking water quality, the main threats to drinking water, the information needs of citizens, and possible additional actions that could be taken at EU level.

While it is too early to comment on the specifics, the principles should be for drinking water quality regulations that take account of current, robust, human health-based evidence and allow for a risk-based approach to continue.

In the UK, drinking water quality is consistently exceptionally high and among the best in the world. Last year, the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) reported that 99.96% of tests it carried out in 2012 on water in England and Wales met or exceeded EU and national standards. The figure for 2011 was also 99.96%.

The latest results for drinking water quality are due later this month.

Drinking Water Inspectorate reports

European Commission consultation on drinking water

Jim Marshall