Annexes to COM(1994)612 - Quality of water intended for human consumption - Main contents

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dossier	COM(1994)612 - Quality of water intended for human consumption.
document	COM(1994)612
date	November 3, 1998

ANNEX I

PARAMETERS AND PARAMETRIC VALUES

PART A

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The following applies to water offered for sale in bottles or containers:

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PART B

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PART C

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ANNEX II

MONITORING

TABLE A Parameters to be analysed

1. Check monitoring

The purpose of check monitoring is regularly to provide information on the organoleptic and microbiological quality of the water supplied for human consumption as well as information on the effectiveness of drinking-water treatment (particularly of disinfection) where it is used, in order to determine whether or not water intended for human consumption complies with the relevant parametric values laid down in this Directive.

The following parameters must be subject to check monitoring. Member States may add other parameters to this list if they deem it appropriate.

Aluminium (Note 1)

Ammonium

Colour

Conductivity

Clostridium perfringens (including spores) (Note 2)

Escherichia coli (E. coli)

Hydrogen ion concentration

Iron (Note 1)

Nitrite (Note 3)

Odour

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Note 4)

Taste

Colony count 22 °C and 37 °C (Note 4)

Coliform bacteria

Turbidity

Note 1: Necessary only when used as flocculant (1*).

Note 2: Necessary only if the water originates from or is influenced by surface water (2*).

Note 3: Necessary only when chloramination is used as a disinfectant (3*).

Note 4: Necessary only in the case of water offered for sale in bottles or containers.

2. Audit monitoring

The purpose of audit monitoring is to provide the information necessary to determine whether or not all of the Directive's parametric values are being complied with. All parameters set in accordance with Article 5(2) and (3) must be subject to audit monitoring unless it can be established by the competent authorities, for a period of time to be determined by them, that a parameter is not likely to be present in a given supply in concentrations which could lead to the risk of a breach of the relevant parametric value. This paragraph does not apply to the parameters for radioactivity, which, subject to Notes 8, 9 and 10 in Annex I, Part C, will be monitored in accordance with monitoring requirements adopted under Article 12.

TABLE B1 Minimum frequency of sampling and analyses for water intended for human consumption supplied from a distribution network or from a tanker or used in a food-production undertaking

Member States must take samples at the points of compliance as defined in Article 6(1) to ensure that water intended for human consumption meets the requirements of the Directive. However, in the case of a distribution network, a Member State may take samples within the supply zone or at the treatment works for particular parameters if it can be demonstrated that there would be no adverse change to the measured value of the parameters concerned.

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Note 1: A supply zone is a geographically defined area within which water intended for human consumption comes from one or more sources and within which water quality may be considered as being approximately uniform.

Note 2: The volumes are calculated as averages taken over a calendar year. A Member State may use the number of inhabitants in a supply zone instead of the volume of water to determine the minimum frequency, assuming a water consumption of 200 l/day/capita.

Note 3: In the event of intermittent short-term supply the monitoring frequency of water distributed by tankers is to be decided by the Member State concerned.

Note 4: For the different parameters in Annex I, a Member State may reduce the number of samples specified in the table if:

(a) the values of the results obtained from samples taken during a period of at least two successive years are constant and significantly better than the limits laid down in Annex I, and

(b) no factor is likely to cause a deterioration of the quality of the water.

The lowest frequency applied must not be less than 50 % of the number of samples specified in the table except in the particular case of note 6.

Note 5: As far as possible, the number of samples should be distributed equally in time and location.

Note 6: The frequency is to be decided by the Member State concerned.

TABLE B2 Minimum frequency of sampling and analysis for water put into bottles or containers intended for sale

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(1*) In all other cases, the parameters are in the list for audit monitoring.

ANNEX III

SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PARAMETERS

Each Member State must ensure that any laboratory at which samples are analysed has a system of analytical quality control that is subject from time to time to checking by a person who is not under the control of the laboratory and who is approved by the competent authority for that purpose.

1. PARAMETERS FOR WHICH METHODS OF ANALYSIS ARE SPECIFIED

The following principles for methods of microbiological parameters are given either for reference whenever a CEN/ISO method is given or for guidance, pending the possible future adoption, in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12, of further CEN/ISO international methods for these parameters. Member States may use alternative methods, providing the provisions of Article 7(5) are met.

Coliform bacteria and Escherichia coli (E. coli) (ISO 9308-1)

Enterococci (ISO 7899-2)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (prEN ISO 12780)

Enumeration of culturable microorganisms - Colony count 22 °C (prEN ISO 6222)

Enumeration of culturable microorganisms - Colony count 37 °C (prEN ISO 6222)

Clostridium perfringens (including spores)

Membrane filtration followed by anaerobic incubation of the membrane on m-CP agar (Note 1) at 44 ± 1 °C for 21 ± 3 hours. Count opaque yellow colonies that turn pink or red after exposure to ammonium hydroxide vapours for 20 to 30 seconds.

Note 1: The composition of m-CP agar is:

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Dissolve the ingredients of the basal medium, adjust pH to 7,6 and autoclave at 121 °C for 15 minutes. Allow the medium to cool and add:

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2. PARAMETERS FOR WHICH PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS ARE SPECIFIED

2.1. For the following parameters, the specified performance characteristics are that the method of analysis used must, as a minimum, be capable of measuring concentrations equal to the parametric value with a trueness, precision and limit of detection specified. Whatever the sensitivity of the method of analysis used, the result must be expressed using at least the same number of decimals as for the parametric value considered in Annex I, Parts B and C.

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2.2. For hydrogen ion concentration the specified performance characteristics are that the method of analysis used must be capable of measuring concentrations equal to the parametric value with a trueness of 0,2 pH unit and a precision of 0,2 pH unit.

Note 1 (1*): Trueness is the systematic error and is the difference between the mean value of the large number of repeated measurements and the true value.

Note 2 (2*): Precision is the random error and is usually expressed as the standard deviation (within and between batch) of the spread of results about the mean. Acceptable precision is twice the relative standard deviation.

Note 3: Limit of detection is either:

- three times the relative within batch standard deviation of a natural sample containing a low concentration of the parameter,

or

- five times the relative within batch standard deviation of a blank sample.

Note 4: The method should determine total cyanide in all forms.

Note 5: Oxidation should be carried out for 10 minutes at 100 °C under acid conditions using permanganate.

Note 6: The performance characteristics apply to each individual pesticide and will depend on the pesticide concerned. The limit of detection may not be achievable for all pesticides at present, but Member States should strive to achieve this standard.

Note 7: The performance characteristics apply to the individual substances specified at 25 % of the parametric value in Annex I.

Note 8: The performance characteristics apply to the individual substances specified at 50 % of the parametric value in Annex I.

3. PARAMETERS FOR WHICH NO METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS SPECIFIED

Colour

Odour

Taste

Total organic carbon

Turbidity (Note 1)

Note 1: For turbidity monitoring in treated surface water the specified performance characteristics are that the method of analysis used must, as a minimum, be capable of measuring concentrations equal to the parametric value with a trueness of 25 %, precision of 25 % and a 25 % limit of detection.

(1*) These terms are further defined in ISO 5725.

ANNEX IV

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ANNEX V

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