Decision time for Europe's Drinking Water Directive revision

“Proposed revisions to Europe’s key drinking water regulation, the DrinkingWater Directive, are due to be finalised this year. ADRIANA HULSMANN discusses the reasoning behind the proposed revisions, and their potential impacts on the water industry. The current European Commission (EC) has just started its final year in office.After the European elections in early June 2009, the current Commission will be replaced by the end of the year. Under a gentlemen’s agreement, in principle no new Directives are tabled during the final year of the sitting Commission.The upcoming revision of the DrinkingWater Directive (DWD) 98/83/EC will wait until a new Commission is in place.The Environment Directorate (DG Environment) of the EC has been working for some time on a Commission Proposal for a new Directive on the quality of drinking water, which will very likely be ready well before the end of 2009 for submission in due course to the European Parliament.This Commission Proposal will be subject to a full co-decision procedure,with the involvement of the Council and the European Parliament.”

(Citaat: Hulsmann, A.D. – Decision time for Europe’s Drinking Water Directive revision – Water 21(2009)Febr, p.42-44)