European Commission calls on IRELAND, FRANCE and SLOVENIA to correctly transpose the Drinking Water Directive

The Drinking Water Directive (Directive (EU) 2020/2184) contributes to improving water resilience across the EU and achieving the EU’s zero pollution ambition.  The recast Drinking Water Directive protects human health by updating water quality standards, tackling pollutants of concern, such as endocrine disruptors and microplastics, and providing cleaner tap water. Member States were required to transpose the Directive by 12 January 2023. These three Member States have not transposed the directive correctly. As regards France, this concerns the risk assessment of domestic distribution systems, the drinking water quality monitoring and mandatory information to be provided to the public. For Ireland and Slovenia, the transposition issues mainly concern the provisions of the directive on measures (e.g. temporary restriction) to be taken in case of potential danger to human health from drinking water, when it is temporarily not in compliance with the standards of the directive. The Commission is therefore sending a letter of formal notice to Ireland, France and Slovenia, which now have two months to respond and address the shortcomings raised by the Commission. In the absence of satisfactory responses, the Commission may decide to issue reasoned opinions.