Twinning Project Poland / Germany

German Federal Ministry of Health

Division 324 „Drinking Water“

Revision of the Drinking Water Directive (DWD)

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-drink/index_en.html

here link to CIRCA with documents

Main subjects in view of COM

Water Safety Plans (WSP)

Revision chem. parameters + new grouping

Revision microbiol. parameters

Small supplies (provisions, surveillance, reporting)

EAS only general and (only) for construction products (CP) in contact with drinking water (DW)

Standardisation of monitoring, sampling, analyses

Impact-Assessment (not EAS, not DW-installation)

clear separation from food law, bottled water

Proposal from several MS to amend the DWD Article 10

Quality assurance of treatment, equipment and materials

1. Member States shall take all measures necessary to ensure that substances or materials for new installations used in the preparation, production, or distribution of water intended for human consumption or impurities associated with such substances or materials for new installations

a) do not remain in water intended for human consumption in concentrations higher than is necessary for the purpose of their use, and b) do not, either directly or indirectly, reduce the protection of human health provided for in this Directive andc) do not lead to a water quality unacceptable to consumers regarding organoleptic parameters.

Proposal continued2. Measures required under paragraph 1 shall include the authorisation of the use of substances and materials on basis of the framework for assessing and controlling the health risks set out in Annex IV. Member States shall notify their authorisation scheme in accordance with Directive 98/34/EC 3. A Member State is deemed to comply with the requirement set out under paragraph 2 where it refers in its national regulations to notified authorisation schemes established by other Member States. 4. Community guidelines for the assessment required under paragraph 2 may be drawn up and revised in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12. 5. The interpretive document and technical specifications pursuant to Article 3 and Article 4 (1) of Council Directive 89/106/EEC of 21 December 1988 on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States relating to construction products shall respect the requirements of this Directive. PM Reference to other directives, e.g. Biocides Directive (disinfectants), Public Procurement Directive, water heaters, water meters, …

Proposal continued

Article 11Review of annexes

(-)2. At least every five years, the Commission shall adapt Annexes II, III and IV to scientific and technical progress.

Such changes as are necessary shall be adopted in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 12.

Proposal continued

Elements to be included in Annex IVFramework for assessing and controlling

1. Introduction 1.1 Linking annex to Article 10, Article 4 (all

substances) and Annex I (specific parameters)

1.2 Reference to new WSP provisions1.3 Reference to relevant product

directives, inter alia CPD and Biocides Directive

Proposal continued2. General framework

2.1 Scope (from source to tap) 2.2 Assessment on basis of full formulation of substances and materials 2.3 Assessment criteria (organoleptic, general hygienic, migration of specific substances, screening of unsuspected substances and enhancement of microbial growth). 2.4 Setting of acceptance levels (common principles) 2.5 Listing of approved substances and materials (general). Reference to

common lists to be set up in accordance with Article 10.4 (new), including reference to Commission Directive 2002/72/EC)

2.6 Approach to testing related to material types (matrix to be taken from EAS proposal; organic, metallic, cementitious materials); details of regulatory issues such as number of migrations, temperature of test waters and conversion principles in community guidelines to be established in accordance with Article 10.4 (new). 2.7 Treatment chemicals: Reference to existing EN-standards2.8 Reference to CEN supporting test standards and harmonised product

standards

3. Quality assurance (third party testing and auditing) 4. Notification and reporting requirements

Responsibilities for water

GroundwaterSurfacewater

Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety

Rawwater within waterworks uptodrinking water until it leaves the tap of the consumer

Ministry of Health

Drinking water after the tap

Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection

Water Supply in cases of emergency

Ministry of the Interior

Administrative Aspects of Water Supply

Ministry of Economics, Labour and Technology

Relation regulations/standards

e.g., - free of pathogens- suitable for consumption- pure

Broad guidelinesLimit values

Legislator

specific requirementsstated as

technical rules

PrivateSectorDrinking water ordinance

Sustainable Protection of

Drinking Water Resources:

• Drinking Water Protection Areas

• Monitoring

FIRST BARRIER: Consistent protection of drinking water resources

Consistent Protection of

Drinking Water Resources:

• Drinking Water Protection Areas

• Monitoring

SECOND BARRIER: Water Supply on the Basis of Technical Standards

Water supply companies are responsible for abstraction,

treatment, storage, transport and distribution of drinking water.

Technical Standards shall be met as well as the legal requirements

of the EU for drinking water quality.

Drinking Water Supply:

• Abstraction• Treatment• Storage• Transport• Distribution

according to generally

acknowledged technical standards

THIRD BARRIER: Safe Domestic Water Installation

Water suppliers responsibility ends at the water meter.

Domestic installation shall ensure that consumer receives

high quality drinking water at the tap.

Domestic Installation:• Prudent choice of materials in contact with

drinking water

• Safety devices

• Professional Installation

Domestic Installation

THIRD BARRIER: Safe Domestic Water Installation

Materials in contact with drinking water should not affect

water to its micro-biological and

chemical properties.

Materials used: steel (hot

galvanised, stainless), copper, plastic materials.

THIRD BARRIER: Safe Domestic Water Installation

Moreover safety devices shall be mounted to

prevent backsiphonage of water, i.e. by using backflow preventers

Only qualified plumbers - no Do-it-yourself men - shall be entrusted for the

work in the domestic installation!

Backflow preventer

The MULTI-BARRIER SYSTEM: Basis for a Modern Drinking Water Supply in Europe

The interaction of all three barriers:

• consistent protection of the water resources

• design, construction and operation of water supply system in line with Technical Standards (DIN, DVGW)

• professional expert planning, installation and operation of domestic installations according to the Technical Standards by qualified plumbers guarantees that consumer is supplied with highest quality drinking water at the tap!

Main Regulations in Germany

• Federal water act (impl. 00/60/EC)(impl. 00/60/EC)– water resources legislation in 16 federal states

(states water acts)– Basic provisions relating to water resources

management measures• Drinking Water OrdinanceDrinking Water Ordinance 2001 (impl. 98/83/EC)(impl. 98/83/EC)

– authorisation given in protection against infection act 2000– responsibility for execution lies with the federal states (Länder)

• Ordinance on general conditions for the water supply• Several ordinances in the 16 federal states

– e.g. self control of raw water

Execution

lies with

the

federal

states

No influence by ministry !

Drinking water ordinance: Contents

• Specific requirements for the quality of drinking water and of water for food production and for drinking water treatment

• Provisions on drinking water quality, obligations of operators of water supply facilities and supervision of operators by the health authorities with respect to hygiene

• Limit values for substances harmful to health (e.g. heavy metals, nitrates, organic compounds) and pathogens; defines the scope and frequency of surveillance

• No specifications to implement these limits, e.g. what pipe materials to use for compliance

• Only general requirements, refering to „generally acknowledged technical standards“

Link between compliance with Technical Standards and quality of drinking water in the German Drinking Water Ordinance:

§ 4

(1) Water intended for human consumption must be free from pathogens, wholesome and clean. This requirement is deemed to be fulfilled if the generally acknowledged technical standards are complied with during abstraction, treatment and distribution and the water intended for human consumption meets the requirements laid down in sections 5 to 7.

German Drinking Water Ordinance:§ 17

Special requirements

(1) For the construction or maintenance of installations for the treatment or distribution of water intended for human consumption only materials may be used that, when coming into contact with water, do not shed any substances in concentrations higher than unavoidable according to the generally acknowledged technical standards, or directly or indirectly lessen the protection of human health provided for in this Ordinance, or alter the smell or taste of the water; section 31 of the Act on Foods and Commodities as published on 9 September 1997 (BGBl. I p. 2296) shall not be affected. The requirement of sentence 1 shall be deemed to be fulfilled if the planning, construction and operation of the installations comply at least with the generally acknowledged technical standards.

German Drinking Water Ordinance:§ 17

Special requirements

(2) Water supply installations from which water intended for human consumption is supplied must not be connected with water-bearing parts which carry water or remove water that is not intended for human consumption within the meaning of section 3 no. 1. The entrepreneur and any other owner of a water supply installation within the meaning of section 3 no. 2 must colour-code the pipes of different supply systems in a durable way or have them colour-coded during the assembly of these systems. They must durably mark the taps of water that is not intended for human consumption within the meaning of section 3 no. 1 or have them marked as these taps are mounted.