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

ANNEX IIIU.K.SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF PARAMETERS

[F1Member States shall ensure that the methods of analysis used for the purposes of monitoring and demonstrating compliance with this Directive are validated and documented in accordance with EN ISO/IEC 17025 or other equivalent standards accepted at international level. Member States shall ensure that laboratories or parties contracted by laboratories apply quality management system practices in accordance with EN ISO/IEC 17025 or other equivalent standards accepted at international level.

In the absence of an analytical method meeting the minimum performance criteria set out in Part B, Member States shall ensure that monitoring is carried out using best available techniques not entailing excessive costs.]

[F1PART A U.K. Microbiological parameters for which methods of analysis are specified]

[F2The following principles for methods of microbiological parameters are given either for reference, whenever a CEN/ISO method is given, or for guidance, pending the possible future adoption by the Commission of further CEN/ISO international methods for those parameters. Member States may use alternative methods, providing the provisions of Article 7(5) are met.

Those measures on further CEN/ISO international methods, designed to amend non-essential elements of this Directive, inter alia , by supplementing it, shall be adopted in accordance with the regulatory procedure with scrutiny referred to in Article 12(3).]

[F1The methods for microbiological parameters are:

(a)

Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and coliform bacteria (EN ISO 9308-1 or EN ISO 9308-2)

(b)

Enterococci (EN ISO 7899-2)

(c)

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (EN ISO 16266)

(d)

enumeration of culturable microorganisms — colony count 22 °C (EN ISO 6222)

(e)

enumeration of culturable microorganisms — colony count 36 °C (EN ISO 6222)

(f)

Clostridium perfringens including spores (EN ISO 14189).]

[F1PART B U.K. Chemical and indicator parameters for which performance characteristics are specified]

[F11. Chemical and indicator parameters U.K.

For the parameters set out in Table 1, the specified performance characteristics are that the method of analysis used must, as a minimum, be capable of measuring concentrations equal to the parametric value with a limit of quantification, as defined in Article 2(2) of Commission Directive 2009/90/EC (1) , of 30 % or less of the relevant parametric value and an uncertainty of measurement as specified in Table 1. The result shall be expressed using at least the same number of significant figures as for the parametric value considered in Parts B and C of Annex I.

Until 31 December 2019 Member States may allow for the use of trueness , precision and limit of detection as specified in Table 2, as an alternative set of performance characteristics to limit of quantification and uncertainty of measurement as specified respectively in the first paragraph and Table 1.

The uncertainty of measurement laid down in Table 1 shall not be used as an additional tolerance to the parametric values set out in Annex I.

Table 1

Minimum performance characteristic Uncertainty of measurement

Acrylamide, epichlorohydrin and vinyl chloride to be controlled by product specification.

Parameters Uncertainty of measurement (See Note 1) % of the parametric value (except for pH) Notes
Aluminium 25
Ammonium 40
Antimony 40
Arsenic 30
Benzo(a)pyrene 50 See Note 5
Benzene 40
Boron 25
Bromate 40
Cadmium 25
Chloride 15
Chromium 30
Conductivity 20
Copper 25
Cyanide 30 See Note 6
1,2-dichloroethane 40
Fluoride 20
Hydrogen ion concentration pH (expressed in pH units) 0,2 See Note 7
Iron 30
Lead 25
Manganese 30
Mercury 30
Nickel 25
Nitrate 15
Nitrite 20
Oxidisability 50 See Note 8
Pesticides 30 See Note 9
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 50 See Note 10
Selenium 40
Sodium 15
Sulphate 15
Tetrachloroethene 30 See Note 11
Trichloroethene 40 See Note 11
Trihalomethanes — total 40 See Note 10
Total organic carbon (TOC) 30 See Note 12
Turbidity 30 See Note 13

Table 2

Minimum performance characteristics Trueness , precision and limit of detection — may be used until 31 December 2019

Acrylamide, epichlorohydrin and vinyl chloride to be controlled by product specification.]

Parameters Trueness (See Note 2) % of the parametric value (except for pH) Precision (See Note 3) % of the parametric value (except for pH) Limit of detection (See Note 4) % of the parametric value (except for pH) Notes
Aluminium 10 10 10
Ammonium 10 10 10
Antimony 25 25 25
Arsenic 10 10 10
Benzo(a)pyrene 25 25 25
Benzene 25 25 25
Boron 10 10 10
Bromate 25 25 25
Cadmium 10 10 10
Chloride 10 10 10
Chromium 10 10 10
Conductivity 10 10 10
Copper 10 10 10
Cyanide 10 10 10 See Note 6
1,2-dichloroethane 25 25 10
Fluoride 10 10 10
Hydrogen ion concentration pH (expressed in pH units) 0,2 0,2 See Note 7
Iron 10 10 10
Lead 10 10 10
Manganese 10 10 10
Mercury 20 10 20
Nickel 10 10 10
Nitrate 10 10 10
Nitrite 10 10 10
Oxidisability 25 25 10 See Note 8
Pesticides 25 25 25 See Note 9
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons 25 25 25 See Note 10
Selenium 10 10 10
Sodium 10 10 10
Sulphate 10 10 10
Tetrachloroethene 25 25 10 See Note 11
Trichloroethene 25 25 10 See Note 11
Trihalomethanes — total 25 25 10 See Note 10
Turbidity 25 25 25

[F12. Notes to Tables 1 and 2 U.K.

Note 1 Uncertainty of measurement is a non-negative parameter characterising the dispersion of the quantity values being attributed to a measurand, based on the information used. The performance criterion for measurement uncertainty (k = 2) is the percentage of the parametric value stated in the table or better. Measurement uncertainty shall be estimated at the level of the parametric value, unless otherwise specified.
Note 2 Trueness is a measure of systematic error, i.e. the difference between the mean value of the large number of repeated measurements and the true value. Further specifications are those set out in ISO 5725.
Note 3 Precision is a measure of random error and is usually expressed as the standard deviation (within and between batches) of the spread of results from the mean. Acceptable precision is twice the relative standard deviation. This term is further specified in ISO 5725.
Note 4

Limit of detection is either:

  • three times the standard deviation within a batch of a natural sample containing a low concentration of the parameter, or

  • five times the standard deviation of a blank sample (within a batch).

Note 5 If the value of uncertainty of measurement cannot be met, the best available technique should be selected (up to 60 %).
Note 6 The method determines total cyanide in all forms.
Note 7 Values for trueness, precision and uncertainty of measurement are expressed in pH units.
Note 8 Reference method: EN ISO 8467
Note 9 The performance characteristics for individual pesticides are given as an indication. Values for the uncertainty of measurement as low as 30 % can be achieved for several pesticides, higher values up to 80 % may be allowed for a number of pesticides.
Note 10 The performance characteristics apply to individual substances, specified at 25 % of the parametric value in Part B of Annex I.
Note 11 The performance characteristics apply to individual substances, specified at 50 % of the parametric value in Part B of Annex I.
Note 12 The uncertainty of measurement should be estimated at the level of 3 mg/l of the total organic carbon (TOC). CEN 1484 Guidelines for the determination of TOC and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) shall be used.
Note 13 The uncertainty of measurement should be estimated at the level of 1,0 NTU (nephelometric turbidity units) in accordance with EN ISO 7027.]

F33.PARAMETERS FOR WHICH NO METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS SPECIFIEDU.K.

[ F3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .]

F3. . . . .U.K.

(1)

[F1Commission Directive 2009/90/EC of 31 July 2009 laying down, pursuant to Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council, technical specifications for chemical analysis and monitoring of water status ( OJ L 201, 1.8.2009, p. 36 ).]