EU launch legal action to ensure safer drinking water

The European Commission is to launch legal action against the British Government if it does not comply with EU rules relating to the provision of safe drinking water in Northern Ireland and Wales.

The EU Drinking Water Directive is a piece of national legislation which details maximum acceptable levels of chemicals and organisms in water meant for public consumption. The Directive was supposed to have been introduced throughout the UK by December 25 2000, but so far has only been implemented in England and Scotland.

The European Commission have now issued the British Government with an ultimatum which effectively gives Britain two months to comply with the legislation before the matter is brought to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg.

EU Environment Commissioner Margot Wallstrom described safe drinking water as “a basic right” and expressed her disappointment that many other countries have similarly failed to adopt the legislation, including Denmark, Spain, Portugal, Austria and Sweden. (CL)