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Water Management

From 1995, the Community began to adopt a more global approach to water management. This has led to the framework directive for a policy on water which seeks to promote sustainable use of water resources and to ensure the coherence of policy in this area.

Find below the different areas of interest for your business:

1. Framework
2. Chemical Pollution of Surface Water
3. Urban Waste Water Treatment
4. Drinking Water

4. Drinking Water

Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption [Official Journal L 330 of 05.12.1998].

To define the essential quality standards which water intended for human consumption must meet. It applies to all water intended for human consumption apart from natural mineral waters and waters which are medicinal products. Member States shall ensure that such drinking water:

• does not contain any concentration of micro-organisms, parasites or any other substance which constitutes a potential human health risk;
• meets the minimum requirements (microbiological and chemical parameters and those relating to radioactivity) laid down by the Directive.

Directive Code	Directive Name	Directive Date	Date of Enforcement
98/83/EC	quality of water intended for human consumption	3-Nov-1998	01-jan-1999

Council Directive 75/440/EEC of 16 June 1975 concerning the quality required of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the Member States

Amended by: Council Directive 79/869/EEC of 9 October 1979; Council Directive 91/692/EEC of 23 December 1991

These Directives concern surface water used or intended for the abstraction of drinking water after appropriate treatment and supplied by public distribution networks. The Directives set the minimum quality requirements to be met by surface fresh water:

• parameters defining the physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics
• limit values and guide values for these parameters
• the minimum frequency of sampling and analysis
• common non-mandatory reference methods for measuring the parameters
• Member States may set more stringent requirements than laid down in the Directive.

Directive Code	Directive Name	Directive Date	Date of Enforcement
75/440/EEC	quality required of surface water intended for the abstraction of drinking water in the Member States	16-Jun-1975	25-Jul-1977
Amendement	Council Directive 79/869/EEC	9-Oct-1979	29-Oct-1981
Amendement	Council Directive 91/692/EEC	23-Dec-1991	1-Dec-1992