Cabinet approves bill on water quality

A new bill approved by the council of ministers on Friday will aim to strengthen the public’s trust in tap water, Health Minister Popi Kanari said.

Speaking after the session, Kanari said the purpose of the bill is to bring national legislation up to speed with the relevant European Parliament directive regarding the quality of water for human consumption.

The bill would see additional provisions to the existing legal framework with the aim of greater protection of consumer health and better management by all involved bodies, through a unified approach, which will now cover the entire water supply chain, from source to consumption.

With the implementation of the bill, a preventive approach will be implemented for the first time with actions to reduce pollution at the water source through the introduction of regular risk assessments across the entire water chain.

The bill will also aim “to strengthen the public’s trust in tap water,” Kanari said, which will result in an increase in its consumption and a reduction in the use of plastic bottles.

Through the bill, measures will be taken to ensure better access to water as well as to provide it to consumers from public services, public buildings, restaurants, canteens and catering services.

Measures will also be taken to reduce water leaks while providing the possibility of more detailed and more effective information to citizens about the quality of drinking water. Finally,  additional controls will allow for the easier management of emerging pollutants.

Asked whether the goal of the bill is to make tap water drinkable, the minister noted that tap water is already drinkable.

“People may think that bottled water is safer to drink than tap water, which is not true,” she said.

“Our goal is to send the message that our tap water is of very good quality”.