EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184 – Clean Water for Europe

Why a new drinking water directive?

The new directive was adopted because the essential quality standards for microbiological and chemical parameters of the Drinking Water Directive had not been updated since 1998 and no longer fully reflected scientific progress, improved risk assessments, as well as changing behaviours and environmental burdens.

Important requirements of the EU Drinking Water Directive

The EU Drinking Water Directive includes key points for quality assurance: 

• Stricter limits for pollutants: These include heavy metals such as lead and nickel, microplastics, and other potentially harmful substances.
• Extended monitoring requirements: Member States must implement more comprehensive measures for monitoring and reporting.
• Access to information: Water suppliers must provide the population with detailed information on water quality. This strengthens trust and provides insight into the measures taken to ensure water quality.
• Promotion of water supply systems: Measures are to be taken to ensure access to clean water even for underserved population groups. 

Objectives and deadlines

The directive sets clear deadlines for the implementation of the regulations to ensure a gradual improvement in water quality in all Member States. By 2026, the States must meet new standards for drinking water monitoring and implement all necessary measures to achieve the objectives by 2029.

Implementation of the EU Drinking Water Directive in the member states

While Germany prescribes particularly strict limits for chemical and microbiological parameters such as Legionella, Spain focuses on risk management for priority buildings such as hospitals and schools. In the Netherlands, particularly strict requirements apply to PFAS and microplastic limits to meet high ecological standards. France intensively monitors agricultural areas for chemical residues, while Belgium operates with differing regulations in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels due to regional differences.

United Kingdom – Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2018

The „Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 2018“ and the EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184 pursue the same fundamental objective – ensuring drinking water quality and protecting public health – but differ in their specific requirements and approaches. 

The British regulations are still based on earlier EU standards and have not been updated since Brexit to align with the latest EU requirements. They establish national standards for the chemical, microbiological, and physical parameters of drinking water, with a strong focus on the safety of water entering the public supply network. 

The regulations vary between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland to better reflect regional conditions and requirements.

Germany – Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV)

The current revised version of the German Drinking Water Ordinance (TrinkwV) of 24 June 2023 is based on the EU Directive 2020/2184.

It regulates:

• the quality of drinking water or water intended for human consumption,
• the treatment and protection of this water,
• the obligations of water suppliers, and
• the monitoring of drinking water.

The protection of consumers is the top priority. The TrinkwV not only regulates urban drinking water supply and the quality of drinking water in medical facilities or public buildings, but also applies to private landlords.

Spain – Royal Decree 3/2023

Royal Decree 3/2023 defines technical and health criteria for the quality of drinking water, including specific provisions to ensure the absence of bacteria at points of use – particularly in sensitive areas such as Intensive Care Units (ICUs – Intensive Care Units).

According to this decree, at medical water outlets in ICUs, the parametric value for Legionella spp. must be "not detectable/L", and for Pseudomonas aeruginosa it must be below 1 CFU/ml. In order to achieve this level of microbiological safety, the decree recommends the use of microbiological filters at terminal points of use as an effective measure.

In addition, Royal Decree 487/2022, which sets out the health requirements for the prevention and control of legionellosis, recommends the installation of microbiological filters with proven effectiveness against Legionella or other systems of comparable effectiveness at terminal points of use in facilities with immunocompromised individuals.

France – Décret n° 2022-1720

In France, the European Drinking Water Directive was transposed into national law through Decree No. 2022-1720 on the health safety of water intended for human consumption. 

This decree establishes strict requirements for water quality. Particular attention is paid to the monitoring of chemical contaminants such as PFAS, nitrates and pesticides, especially in agricultural areas. 

The regulations require comprehensive risk management throughout the entire water supply chain – from catchment areas to storage and distribution of the water. A particular feature of the decree is the regular monitoring of water quality, both at the source and at the point of consumption. 

France has also introduced additional regulations concerning the use of materials and chemicals in contact with water, going beyond the EU’s minimum requirements in order to ensure greater water safety. 

Austria – Drinking Water Ordinance (TWV)

The Austrian Drinking Water Ordinance is also based on the EU Drinking Water Directive 2020/2184 and implements stricter monitoring measures for microbiological and chemical parameters. Particularly noteworthy is the focus on the monitoring of Legionella in buildings with public and medical facilities. Austria sets specific requirements for risk assessment and the management of water supply areas. In catchment areas, measures must be taken to ensure drinking water quality by reducing sources of contamination. There are also increased requirements for installation materials used in water supply systems.

The Netherlands – Drinkwaterbesluit

The EU Directive 2020/2184 was integrated into the Dutch Drinkwaterbesluit and supplemented by specific national measures to ensure the high quality of drinking water. 

This regulation sets particularly strict requirements for the quality and monitoring of microplastics and PFAS, in order to meet the country's high ecological standards. 

In addition to the EU requirements, national threshold values apply to certain contaminants resulting from agricultural activities, in order to minimise the impact of pesticides and nitrates. 

The Dutch regulations also include specific measures to prevent contamination of surface water and groundwater.

Belgium – Regional regulations in Flanders, Wallonia and Brussels

In Belgium, the regions of Flanders, Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region are each responsible for implementing the EU Directive 2020/2184 and have each adopted their own regulations to take regional conditions into account: 

• Flanders: The quality of drinking water is governed by the Decree of 18 July 2003 on the organisation and quality of water supply. This decree has been updated to incorporate the provisions of the EU Directive 2020/2184.
• Wallonia: n Wallonia, the Decree of 1 April 2004 on water supply and water quality applies. This decree has also been adapted to the new EU requirements.
• Brussels-Capital Region: In the Brussels-Capital Region, the Decree of 20 October 2006 applies. This has likewise been revised to implement the EU Directive 2020/2184..

However, these regional differences do not necessarily result in varying water quality or control, as all regions are required to comply with the minimum standards of the EU Directive. 

A particular focus is placed on wastewater treatment and the protection of water catchment areas to ensure drinking water quality.