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Adopted text

Quality of water intended for human consumption ***I

TA-8-2018-0397 · P8_TA(2018)0397 · PE621.116

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✦ In short · AI summary of this text, generated 25 Sept 2026

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Parliament's amended version of a proposed directive on the quality of water intended for human consumption. It adds universal access to water, a risk-based approach from abstraction to tap, and minimum hygiene requirements for materials in contact with water. It sets new definitions for very small, small, medium, large and very large water suppliers, and requires Member States to assess water leakage and adopt national reduction targets by 31 December 2022. It requires hazard assessments of water bodies, supply risk assessments by water suppliers, and domestic distribution risk assessments in priority premises, with monitoring of Legionella pneumophila. It requires Member States to improve access to water for vulnerable and marginalised groups, provide information to consumers, and allows limited derogations from parametric values under conditions.

Key points

  1. The directive aims to protect human health from water contamination and to provide universal access to water intended for human consumption for all in the Union.
  2. It defines very small, small, medium, large and very large water suppliers by volume supplied per day or people served.
  3. Member States must assess water leakage levels and adopt national targets by 31 December 2022 to reduce leakage by 31 December 2030.
  4. A risk-based approach is required: hazard assessments of water bodies, supply risk assessments by water suppliers, and domestic distribution risk assessments in priority premises.
  5. Member States must ensure monitoring of Legionella pneumophila in priority premises and establish sampling guidelines.
  6. Minimum hygiene requirements are set for substances and materials in contact with water, with a Commission list of approved substances to be adopted by delegated acts.
  7. Member States must improve access to water for vulnerable and marginalised groups, including setting up free public refill points and ensuring public supply.
  8. Consumers must receive regular information on water quality, tariffs, consumption and, for large suppliers, performance and investment data.
  9. Derogations from parametric values are allowed only for new supply zones or new pollution sources, for up to three years, with a possible second three-year derogation.
  10. The Commission must report on threats from microplastics, medicines and other pollutants, and may set maximum levels by delegated acts.

Who is affected

  • Water suppliers, including very small, small, medium, large and very large, must perform risk assessments and monitoring.
  • Member States must ensure access to water, assess leakage, and set national reduction targets.
  • Consumers must receive information on water quality, tariffs and consumption.
  • Vulnerable and marginalised groups must be given access to water intended for human consumption.
  • Food businesses using water for production must comply with certain articles of the directive.

Figures and deadlines

  • 31 December 2022: deadline for Member States to adopt national targets to reduce water leakage levels.
  • 31 December 2030: deadline for reducing water leakage levels.
  • 10 m3 per day: average volume threshold for water suppliers and for hazard assessments.
  • 50 m3 per day or 250 people: threshold for very small water suppliers.
  • 500 m3 per day or 2 500 people: threshold for small water suppliers.
  • 5 000 m3 per day or 25 000 people: threshold for large water suppliers.
  • 20 000 m3 per day or 100 000 people: threshold for very large water suppliers.
  • Three years: maximum duration of a derogation from parametric values, with a possible second three-year derogation.