The Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2017

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations amend the Natural Mineral Water, Spring Water and Bottled Drinking Water Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (“the 2015 Regulations”) (S.R. 2015 No. 365) and in so doing implement Commission Directive (EU) 2015/1787 which amends Annexes II and III to Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption (OJ No. L260, 7.10.2015, p.6).

The Regulations amend the 2015 Regulations by—

(a) substituting in regulation 2(1) new definitions of “fluoride removal treatment” and “ozone-enriched air treatment” (regulation 3);

(b) substituting a revised regulation 13(2) (sale of natural mineral water) to include natural mineral water produced outside of Northern Ireland is required to comply with the requirements as described in regulations 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 of the 2015 Regulations if it is to be sold in Northern Ireland (regulation 4);

(c) adding a paragraph to clarify that the rules on treatments and additions do not prevent spring water from being used in the manufacture of soft drinks (regulation 5);

(d) adding a paragraph to regulation 17 on the advertising of spring water (regulation 6);

(e) substituting a revised regulation 18(1) to clarify that in Northern Ireland, a person may not sell spring water that has been subject to treatment or addition regardless of where that treatment or addition took place (regulation 7);

(f) removing regulation 24(2(a) relating to the requirement for check and audit monitoring for spring water and bottled drinking water (regulation 8);

(g) amending paragraph 13 of Schedule 3 to correct cross references (regulation 9);

(h) amending the parameters in Schedule 7 for “odour”, “colour” and “taste” (regulation 10);

(i) removing Schedule 8 relating to monitoring for parameters other than radioactive substances in water bottled and labelled as “spring water” and bottled drinking water (regulation 11); and

(j) amending Schedule 9 to clarify that the exemption period from monitoring for certain radiological substances lasts 5 years (regulation 12).