Quality of water intended for human consumption. Drinking Water Directive

The amended proposal incorporates, in full or in part, 30 amendments adopted by the European Parliament at first reading. The Commission accepted amendments which improve transparency and the degree of protection without reservation. It also accepted in principle amendments relating mainly to the following points: - the scientific basis of the proposal, i.e. recommendations on the quality of drinking water adopted by the WHO in 1993 and the opinions of the scientific committee on the examination of the toxicity and eco-toxicity of chemical compounds; - a reference to endocrine disrupting substances; - restrictions on the exemption proposed in the event of failure to comply with standards for water sampled at the tap: the exemption currently provided for would be limited to the parameter for lead and the members of the household only; - the deadline granted under special derogations for complying with the parameters laid out in Annex I, part B: the Commission has introduced compulsory control after two years, with the possibility of renewal for two years; - new scientific data available: these should be analyzed in order to ensure that Community standards are completely in line with prevailing scientific opinion. As far as chloroform is concerned, this should also apply to parameters such as trichloroethane and nickel, nitrates and nitrites, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and trihalomethanes (THM). Other amendments accepted by the Commission relate to the following aspects: - harmonized controls of lead concentrations; - measures for protecting the purity of ground and surface water; - disinfection and the obligation to ensure that drinking water is not contaminated by disinfection by-products; - the introduction of a total parametric value of 80+g/l at the tap for four trihalomethanes (THM); - the need to coordinate measures taken in the directive on the placing on the market of plant protection products.�