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Council Directive 98/83/ECShow full title

Council Directive 98/83/EC of 3 November 1998 on the quality of water intended for human consumption

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[F1ANNEX II U.K. MONITORING

PART A U.K. General objectives and monitoring programmes for water intended for human consumption

1. Monitoring programmes for water intended for human consumption must: U.K.

(a)

verify that the measures in place to control risks to human health throughout the water supply chain from the catchment area through abstraction, treatment and storage to distribution are working effectively and that water at the point of compliance is wholesome and clean;

(b)

provide information on the quality of the water supplied for human consumption to demonstrate that the obligations set out in Articles 4 and 5, and the parametric values laid down in Annex I, are being met;

(c)

identify the most appropriate means of mitigating the risk to human health.

2. Pursuant to Article 7(2), competent authorities shall establish monitoring programmes complying with the parameters and frequencies set out in Part B of this Annex which consist of: U.K.

(a)

collection and analysis of discrete water samples; or

(b)

measurements recorded by a continuous monitoring process.

In addition, monitoring programmes may consist of:

(a)

inspections of records of the functionality and maintenance status of equipment; and/or

(b)

inspections of the catchment area, water abstraction, treatment, storage and distribution infrastructure.

3. Monitoring programmes may be based on a risk assessment as set out in Part C. U.K.

4. Member States shall ensure that monitoring programmes are reviewed on a continuous basis and updated or reconfirmed at least every 5 years. U.K.

PART B U.K. Parameters and frequencies

1. General framework U.K.

A monitoring programme must take into account the parameters referred to in Article 5, including those that are important for assessing the impact of domestic distribution systems on the quality of water at the point of compliance, as set out in Article 6(1). When choosing appropriate parameters for monitoring, local conditions for each water supply system must be taken into consideration.

Member States shall ensure that the parameters listed in point 2 are monitored at the relevant sampling frequencies as set out in point 3.

2. List of parameters U.K.

Group A parameters U.K.

The following parameters (Group A) shall be monitored in accordance with the monitoring frequencies set out in Table 1 of point 3:

(a)

Escherichia coli ( E. coli ), coliform bacteria, colony count 22 °C, colour, turbidity, taste, odour, pH, conductivity;

(b)

other parameters identified as relevant in the monitoring programme, in accordance with Article 5(3) and, where relevant, through a risk assessment as set out in Part C.

Under specific circumstances, the following parameters shall be added to the Group A Parameters:

(a)

ammonium and nitrite, if chloramination is used;

(b)

aluminium and iron, if used as water treatment chemicals.

Group B parameters U.K.

In order to determine compliance with all parametric values set out in this Directive, all other parameters not analysed under Group A and set in accordance with Article 5 shall be monitored at least at the frequencies set out in Table 1 of point 3.

3. Sampling frequencies U.K.

Table 1

Minimum frequency of sampling and analysis for compliance monitoring

Volume of water distributed or produced each day within a supply zone (See Notes 1 and 2) m 3 Group A parameter number of samples per year (See Note 3) Group B parameter number of samples per year
≤ 100

> 0

(See Note 4)

> 0

(See Note 4)

> 100 1 000 4 1
> 1 000 10 000

4

+ 3

for each 1 000 m 3 /d and part thereof of the total volume

1

+ 1

for each 4 500 m 3 /d and part thereof of the total volume

> 10 000 100 000

3

+ 1

for each 10 000 m 3 /d and part thereof of the total volume

> 100 000

12

+ 1

for each 25 000 m 3 /d and part thereof of the total volume

Note 1: A supply zone is a geographically defined area within which water intended for human consumption comes from one or more sources and water quality may be considered as being approximately uniform. U.K.
Note 2: The volumes are calculated as averages taken over a calendar year. The number of inhabitants in a supply zone may be used instead of the volume of water to determine the minimum frequency, assuming water consumption of 200 l/(day* capita ). U.K.
Note 3: The frequency indicated is calculated as follows: e.g. 4 300 m 3 /d = 16 samples (four for the first 1 000 m 3 /d + 12 for additional 3 300 m 3 /d). U.K.
Note 4: Member States that have decided to exempt individual supplies under Article 3(2)(b) of this Directive shall apply these frequencies only for supply zones that distribute between 10 and 100 m 3 per day. U.K.

PART C U.K. Risk assessment

1. Member States may provide for the possibility to derogate from the parameters and sampling frequencies in Part B, provided that a risk assessment is performed in accordance with this Part. U.K.

2. The risk assessment referred to in point 1 shall be based on the general principles of risk assessment set out in relation to international standards such as standard EN 15975-2 concerning security of drinking water supply, guidelines for risk and crisis management . U.K.

3. The risk assessment shall take into account the results from the monitoring programmes established by the second subparagraph of Article 7(1), and Article 8 of Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council (1) for bodies of water identified under Article 7(1) that provide more than 100 m 3 a day on average, in accordance with Annex V to that Directive. U.K.

4. Based on the results of the risk assessment, the list of parameters in point 2 of Part B shall be extended and/or the sampling frequencies in point 3 of Part B increased, where any of the following conditions is fulfilled: U.K.

(a)

the list of parameters or frequencies set out in this Annex is not sufficient to fulfil the obligations imposed under Article 7(1);

(b)

additional monitoring is required for the purposes of Article 7(6);

(c)

it is necessary to provide the necessary assurances set out in point (1)(a) of Part A.

5. Based on the results of the risk assessment, the list of parameters set out in point 2 of Part B and the sampling frequencies set out in point 3 of Part B may be reduced provided the following conditions are met: U.K.

(a)

the frequency of sampling for E. coli must not be reduced below the one laid down in point 3 of Part B under any circumstances;

(b)

for all other parameters:

(i)

the location and frequency of sampling shall be determined in relation to the parameter's origin, as well as the variability and long-term trend of its concentration, taking into account Article 6;

(ii)

to reduce the minimum sampling frequency of a parameter, as set out in point 3 of Part B, the results obtained from samples collected at regular intervals over a period of at least 3 years from sampling points representative of the whole supply zone must all be less than 60 % of the parametric value;

(iii)

to remove a parameter from the list of parameters to be monitored, as set out in point 2 of Part B, the results obtained from samples collected at regular intervals over a period of at least 3 years from points representative of the whole supply zone must all be less than 30 % of the parametric value;

(iv)

the removal of a particular parameter set out in point 2 of Part B from the list of parameters to be monitored shall be based on the result of the risk assessment, informed by the results of monitoring of sources of water intended for human consumption and confirming that human health is protected from the adverse effects of any contamination of water intended for human consumption, as laid down in Article 1;

(v)

the sampling frequency may be reduced or a parameter removed from the list of parameters to be monitored as set out in points (ii) and (iii) only if the risk assessment confirms that no factor that can be reasonably anticipated is likely to cause deterioration of the quality of the water intended for human consumption.

6. Member States shall ensure that: U.K.

(a)

risk assessments are approved by their relevant competent authority; and

(b)

information is available showing that a risk assessment has been carried out, together with a summary of its results.

PART D U.K. Sampling methods and sampling points

1. Sampling points shall be determined so as to ensure compliance with the points of compliance as defined in Article 6(1). In the case of a distribution network, a Member State may take samples within the supply zone or at the treatment works for particular parameters if it can be demonstrated that there would be no adverse change to the measured value of the parameters concerned. As far as possible, the number of samples shall be distributed equally in time and location. U.K.

2. Sampling at the point of compliance shall meet the following requirements: U.K.

(a)

compliance samples for certain chemical parameters (in particular copper, lead and nickel) shall be taken at the consumer's tap without prior flushing. A random daytime sample of one litre volume is to be taken. As an alternative, Member States may use fixed stagnation time methods that better reflect their national situation, provided that, at the supply zone level, this does not result in fewer cases of non-compliance than using the random daytime method;

(b)

compliance samples for microbiological parameters at the point of compliance shall be taken and handled according to EN ISO 19458, sampling purpose B.

3. Sampling in the distribution network, with the exception of sampling at the consumers' tap, shall be in accordance with ISO 5667-5. For microbiological parameters, sampling in the distribution network shall be taken and handled according to EN ISO 19458, sampling purpose A.] U.K.

(1)

[F1Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy ( OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1 ).]

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