Quality of water intended for human consumption. Drinking Water Directive

In adopting the report by Mr Ken COLLINS (PSE, UK) Parliament set out six principles on which Community legislation on the quality of water intended for human consumption should be based: - there should be no repeal of water protection legislation without guarantees that provisions will be taken up in other directives; - there should be a hierarchy of water policy priorities to ensure safe water supplies, to arrest further decline of water quality and to restore polluted water; - there should be consistency of definitions and comparable data to ensure effective auditing of compliance; - the public should have access to information; - the most appropriate techniques and technologies should be used and there should be open and democratic procedures at all stages. Parliament stresses the following points: respect for the subsidiarity principle; the establishment of Community rules to ensure the supply for households at all times; protection measures to ensure that surface and groundwater is kept clean; the adoption of a framework directive on water; the reduction of lead and pesticide levels in the water supply. Parliament adopted several amendments on the microbiological parameters and the radioactive limits to be adopted. �