Frequently Asked Questions

What are the standards?

The Government has set legal standards for drinking water in the Water Quality Regulations. Most of these standards come directly from a European law and are based on World Health Organisation guidelines. The UK has additional standards to safeguard the already high quality of water in England and Wales. The standards are strict and generally include wide safety margins. They cover:

bacteria

chemicals such as nitrate and pesticides

metals such as lead

the way water looks and how it tastes

A European Community Directive which came into force in 1998 contained new standards and some changes to existing standards. New regulations were made at the end of 2000 to implement this new Directive. The water companies were required to meet the new standards by the end of 2003. Improvements needed to meet these new standards have been identified by the DWI and action is being taken by the water companies.