Press conference statement by Commissioner Karmenu Vella on the Drinking Water Directive - Main contents

Protecting citizens is the priority of Jean-Claude Juncker's European Commission. After Tuesday's meeting with Environment Ministers from 9 EU Member States on Air Quality we are presenting today a proposal to make drinking water safe for the 21st century.

Safe drinking water is essential for people's health. Most people living in the EU enjoy drinking water that is of the highest standard in the world.

That's the result of over 30 years of successful EU drinking water policies and rules. A perfect illustration of a Europe that protects. Something to be proud of.

But new substances are emerging and they present a potential threat to water quality and safety. Pathogenic bacteria or new contaminants from industry.

To preserve the quality of drinking water in the long run and to protect consumers from these potential risks we are modernising the Drinking Water Directive and bringing it up to the latest standard.

After a very thorough analysis we are proposing to add 18 new and emerging substances to the list of criteria for determining water safety. Legionella, BPA, chlorate, to name just a few. We have worked very closely with the World Health Organisation in updating this list of parameters and quality standards.

We are also proposing a new system of assessing risks to water safety adding another layer of protection and better targeting of safety checks where needed.

We are also applying this approach to microplastics. There is no conclusive evidence that they pose a threat to water supply, but we want to be on the safe side. If it is established through monitoring that microplastics pose a threat, water suppliers will have to act and make sure they don't pollute tap water.

The trust and confidence of European citizens are absolutely vital to us. As water is so essential to our health and well-being, people need to have full confidence that the water they use for preparing food for their loved ones, and that they use for their tea and coffee, is safe.

This aspect is another key element of our proposal. Consumers will be able to easily access information online on the quality and safety of their tap water. They will have information at their fingertips on the health impact of nutrients, or advice on how to reduce consumption. Not to mention clear and simple water bills.

With this we are responding to a demand that was expressed very strongly in our public consultation. More transparency empowers consumers and will improve their confidence in tap water. A litre of tap water costs 0.2 cent. Compare this to the price for a litre of bottled water. If people rely more on tap water, households can potentially save more than EUR 600 million a year.

The new measures also boost our drive for more resource efficiency, and can help cut plastic waste from bottled water. Plastic bottles are among the most common single use plastic items found on European beaches. The Plastics Strategy that we put forward two weeks ago shows we are serious about tackling waste from single-use plastic items. The revision of the Drinking Water Directive is the first legislative step in putting this Strategy into action.

The proposal we adopted today is ambitious. It is good for people's health, and it is good news for the planet.

It ensures that tap water is perfectly safe and healthy everywhere in Europe.

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VIDEO: https://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I150221

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