Drinking Water Directive – Q&A
At the recent Watercoolers Europe meeting in Valencia, Dr Antonio Borrell, Bottled Water Manager at Laboratorio Dr. Oliver Rodés was asked questions about the Drinking Water Directive (EU) 2020/2184 on the quality of water intended for human consumption.
Here is the Q&A in full…
Q1: To which kind of waters is this Directive applicable?
A: The directive is applicable for drinking waters and for waters used in the food industry, and for spring and treated bottled waters. It is not applicable to natural mineral waters, which are regulated by its specific regulation.
Q2: With which frequency do we need to test drinking waters?
A: They must be tested according to the HACCP or depending on the volume of water treated. The Member States can give more indications about the frequency.
Q3: Should we do more frequent tests according to the new DWD?
A: Yes, the number of parameters has increased, there are new compounds after the revision of the WHO. The frequency is not very different, but in this new Directive, when treated water volumes are small – between 10 and 100 m3/ day – we have the new obligation to do 4 “reduced“ tests and 1 complete test per year. In the old one, with these volumes, the Health Administration had to decide the number of tests to do. For bigger volumes, there are no changes. Moreover, in the reduced tests, enterococcus must be added in all the tests.
Q4: Which are the new parameters we need to test according to the Directive 2020/2184? And by when should we perform these new tests?
A: Parametric values for new parameters Bisphenol A, chlorate, chlorite, haloacetic acids, microcystin-LR, PFAS total, sum of PFAS and uranium must be complied by 12 January 2026. These parameters are not mandatory until 12 January 2026, according to the established in the 2nd Paragraph Article 25.
Q5: What is a watchlist parameter?
A: It is an emergent contaminant, which must be checked in drinking waters.
Q6: Which are the watchlist parameters to test at the moment?
A: At European level, beta-estradiol and nonylphenol must be tested. However, some other parameters such as pharmaceutical compounds or microplastics will be added. In some European countries, other parameters must be analyzed.
Q7: Which parameters decreased the parametric value?
A: Chrome and lead are the unique parameters which have decreased their parametric values from 50 to 25 µg/L and from 10 to 5 µg/L, respectively.
Q8: Which parameters increased the parametric value?
A: Antimony, boron and selenium have increased their parametric values from 5 to 10 µg/L, from 1.0 to 1.5 mg/L and from 10 to 20 µg/L, respectively.
Q9: Where do we have to comply with the directive?
A: For spring or drinking waters values must be complied at the point at which the water is put into the bottles, and in the case of water intended for human consumption supplied from a distribution network at the point at which water is dispensed from the taps.
So, in the case of water dispensed by watercoolers, we would have both situations: compliance in the bottled water and compliance in the dispensed water from the taps.
For PoUs, the compliance must occur at the outlet of the taps.
Q10: Is there something new about Materials in contact with water?
A: Yes, this is the first time that materials in contact with water have been considered. At the moment, some draft decisions or delegated regulations which include the European positive list of substances authorized or migration conditions for materials, are going to be published soon.
About Dr. Antonio Borrell
Dr. Antonio Borrell graduated and PhD in Pharmacy, Master in Technology and Science Food and has developed a Program of Executive Managing. He has been working in Laboratorio Dr. Oliver Rodés as a Bottled Water Manager since 2001.
Dr. Antonio Borrell is Vice chairman of the Standards and Technical Committee and member of the Education and Audit Committee in Watercoolers Europe. He has given various lectures about waters at meetings and congresses.
Dr Borrell has participated in research projects as a main researcher in relation to bottled water and packaging, and he has published several scientific papers. Dr Borrell has also participated in many interviews in radio and TV, always talking about bottled water.