EUSurvey on the Quality of Drinking Water
Statistical Report
December 2014
Public Consultation
1
Public consultation - EU Survey http://ec.europa.eu/eusurvey/
- Period: 23/06/2014 to 23/09/2014 - available in all languages - Evaluated replies: 5908 - of these: Stakeholders/Experts: 670 (11%) Part 1: General Questions to Consumers Part 2: Questions Drinking Water Directive
2
3
47
216
358 300
2228
145
12
171
956
220
21 4 27 48
385
73 64 12
106 38
271
41 14 3 20 9 95
24 0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
CY IE AT PT DE FI LU BE FR NL SI MT LT SK ES EL CZ LV RO BG IT HU HR EE SE DK UK PL
Replies per MS sorted by replies per inhabitants
4
60%
35%
3% 2%
Do you live in an urbanised or a rural area? (%)
Urbanised Rural Don’t know/Not applicable Not answered
5
71%
19%
9%
1%
Large water supply zone (serving more than 5000 persons) or small water supply zone (serving less than 5000 persons) (%)
Large Small Don’t know/Not applicable Not answered
6
58%
16%
23%
2% 1%
I am well informed about the quality of my drinking water (%)
agree neither agree/no disagree disegree don't know/not applicable not answered
7
56,6
7,3 3,1
81,6
4,0
90,0
18,7
5,0 5,9 7,0 2,7 2,1
21,0
66,2
54,6
5,4
55,3
2,0 0,6
11,5 11,8
0,9
12,7
0,9 3,0
10,0
24,6
5,2
25,3
5,0
drinking directly fromthe tap
drinking after filteringit
drinking after boiling it cooking directly fromthe tap
cooking after filteringit
washing/personalhygiene
I use drinking water at my home for (%)
always most of the time not or rarely don't know/not applicable not answered
8
81,8
8,2 7,4
1,6 1,1
23,1 25,1
28,1
21,3
2,4
agree neither agree/nor disagree disagree don't know/not applicable not answered
Accessibility (I) %
Where I live, access to wholesome and clean drinking water is good
In the UE overall, the way I see it, access to wholesome and clean drinking water is good
9
88,5
5,1 3,4 1,4 1,7
21,1
28,9
19,0
28,2
2,8
agree neither agree/nordisagree
disagree don't know/notapplicable
not answered
Accessibility (II) %
Where I live, the conncection supply network is good
In the UE overall, the way I see it, the conection to the supply network is good
10
69,3
12,7 14,8
1,9 1,2
17,2
26,4
16,0
37,8
2,6
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
Affordability (I) %
Where I live, the price of drinking water (for consumers) is affordable
In the EU overall, the way I see it, the price of drinking (for consumers) is affordable
11
63,1
17,3 14,1
3,8 1,7
10,6
29,1
14,6
42,6
3,1
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
Affordability (II) %
Where I live, the drinking water services (customer services, security of supply, …) is affordable
In the EU overall, the way I see it, drinking water services (customer services, security of supply, …) are good value for money
12
73,5
11,5 10,8
2,4 1,7
15,8
24,4 26,1 30,7
3,1
agree neither/not disagree don't know not answered
Acceptability (I) %
Where I live, the quality of drinking water is good (wholesome and clean)
In the EU overall, the way I see it, the quality of drinking water isgood (wholesome and clean)
13
70,4
12,0 15,1
0,7 1,8
12,4
24,8 26,2
33,2
3,4
agree neither/not disagree don't know not answered
Acceptability (II) %
Where I live, the sensation (perceived, subjective quality) of drinkingwater is good (i.e. wholesome as regards taste, odour, turbidity, hardness,…)
In the EU overall, the way I see it, the sensation of drinking water isgood (i.e. wholesome as regards taste, odour, turbidity, hardness,…)
14
26,5
84,1
73,0
83,8 77,8
56,5 52,8
21,2 23,1
5,5 12,3
8,7 12,4
24,3 26,0
7,0
34,7
7,8 6,8 4,0 6,0
13,4 13,5 11,8 11,6
1,1 5,7
1,7 2,1 4,1 5,5
44,3
4,0 1,5 2,2 1,8 1,7 2,2 2,2
15,6
Po
lluti
on
fro
m n
atu
ral
sou
rce
s (s
uch
as
min
eral
s)
Po
lluti
on
fro
m a
gric
ult
ure
(su
ch a
s p
est
icid
es, f
erti
liser
san
d f
aeca
l po
lluti
on
)
Po
lluti
on
fro
m e
xplo
rati
on
or
exp
loit
atio
n o
f h
ydro
carb
on
s(s
uch
as
oil,
sh
ale
gas,
etc
)
Po
lluti
on
fro
m in
du
stri
also
urc
es
(su
ch a
s h
eav
ym
etal
s, s
olv
ents
, ad
dit
ive
s,o
r o
ther
ch
em
ical
s w
hic
h…
Pollu
tio
n f
rom
hu
man
co
nsu
mp
tio
n a
nd
inad
equ
ate
was
tew
ater
tre
atm
ent
(su
ch
as a
mm
on
ium
, nit
rate
s, …
Sub
stan
ces
fro
m m
ater
ials
in
dir
ect
con
tact
wit
h d
rin
kin
g w
ater
(su
ch a
s co
nta
min
ants
le
ach
ing
fro
m p
ipes
, du
cts,
…
Thre
ats
to d
rin
kin
g w
ater
q
ual
ity
du
e to
imp
acts
of
clim
ate
chan
ge (
such
as t
ho
se
cau
sed
by
flo
od
s, d
rou
ghts
, …
Oth
er t
hre
ats
or
oth
er
po
lluti
on
so
urc
es (
ple
ase
spe
cify
)
Threats to drinking water (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
Replies to questions related to the Drinking Water Directive
15
16
26,0
18,4
57,2 53,5
15,9
10,2 13,1
17,9
38,8
55,2
19,6 17,3
11,3 7,6
4,9 6,6 7,9 8,6 5,3 4,8
No change to current regimeis necessary; the current listis kept, and limit values are
reflecting the latest scientificevidence (which is required
by the Directive)
Restrict the list to a few keyparameters most relevant for
human health.
Revise and extend the list ofparameters, e.g. to consider
new and emergingpollutants, if there are
possible effects on humanhealth and if this does not
lead to a significant increasein the price of water.
Revise and extend the list ofparameters, e.g. to consider
new andemerging pollutants,if there are possible effects
on human health and even ifthis leads to a significantincrease in the price of
water.
Quality standards in the Drinking Water Directive (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
17
27,4
5,1
40,7
22,7
80,9
12,0 19,0
11,7
21,1 24,1
6,0 2,0
37,1
68,4
24,8
37,8
5,0 8,9 8,3
5,0 4,2 4,7 1,7
42,4
8,2 9,7 9,3 10,7 6,4
34,7
No action isnecessary
because the levelof monitoringand control
efforts isadequate
Monitoring andcontrol efforts
should bereduced because
the costsoutweigh the
health benefits
Monitoringshould be more
frequent,provided this
does not lead toa significant
increase in theprice of water
Monitoringshould be morefrequent, even if
this leads to asignificant
increase in theprice of water
Monitoringshould be moretransparent, andresults should beavailableonline
Other
Monitoring and Control of Drinking Water (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
18
56,3
45,0
41,3
35,5
54,6
5,5
11,2
16,0 16,9 18,4
12,4
2,1
11,3
15,7 16,8
20,2
16,6
11,9
1,9 2,5 2,5 2,9 2,3
33,1
19,4 20,8
22,5 22,9
14,1
47,4
Easily understandableinformation to all thatdrinking water quality
is compliant (waterquality ok)
Simplified informationintelligible to all
summarising waterquality aspects (a labelwith colours, a flag, an
index, etc.)
Basic quality aspects(some parameters as
for bottledwater/mineralwater)
All detailedinformation from each
analysis and allparameters that
arebeing monitoredshould be made
available
All detailedinformation from each
analysis and allparameters should
bemade available andit should be indicatedfor each parameter
whether it meets thelegal requirements
Others
Content of consumer information (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
19
15,5
66,1 70,6
42,3 46,9
7,6
16,9 11,4 9,7
23,6 19,3
1,6
50,9
7,3 9,4
17,8 14,6
9,6 5,2 5,0
1,9 5,7
9,2
39,2
11,4 10,2 8,4 10,6 10,0
42,0
No
act
ion
is n
ece
ssar
yb
ecau
se t
he
curr
ent
info
rmat
ion
pro
visi
on
sar
ead
equ
ate
Mo
re u
p-t
o-d
ate
info
rmat
ion
sho
uld
be
m
ade
avai
lab
leo
nlin
e
All
mo
nit
ore
d u
p-t
o-d
ate
info
rmat
ion
sh
ou
ld b
e m
ade
avai
lab
le o
nlin
e
New
info
rmat
ion
to
ols
(e.
g.
SMS,
Ap
ps,
…)
sho
uld
be
use
d
mo
re a
ctiv
ely
tod
isse
min
ate
dri
nki
ng
wat
er in
form
atio
n
wh
ere
nec
essa
ry
In a
dd
itio
n t
o in
form
atio
n o
nm
y w
ater
su
pp
ly,
dis
sem
inat
ion
an
din
ter-
linka
ge o
f in
form
atio
n t
on
atio
nal
or
Euro
pe-
wid
e…
Oth
ers
Ways to inform consumers (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
20
22,2
8,0
51,0
79,2 82,1
8,1
18,4 17,1 19,2
7,5 6,2 1,3
38,7
49,7
18,7
4,0 3,5 8,3
11,5 14,1
3,0 2,8 1,8
39,0
9,2 11,0 8,1 6,5 6,4
43,2
No additionalactions should betaken because thecurrent provisions
areadequate
The current regimefor taking remedial
action is toorestrictive and
overly protective
Water suppliesshould be closed
whenever failuresare found, andfreesupply of
drinking water bybottles, containers,tankers should be
granted
Remedial actionshould be
supplemented byadditional
preventive action,i.e. by antagonisingcritical trends, longbefore a near miss
or failure
Requirements forprompt notification
of consumers incase of failuresusing modern
communicationtools should be
introduced
Others
Actions in case of problems (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
21
19,4
28,8
11,6
39,6
6,5
15,9
21,3 18,8
16,1
1,5
39,0
26,6
42,3
21,1
8,0
14,4
9,9 11,8 11,0
40,3
11,3 13,4
15,5
12,2
43,7
No action isnecessary becausethe status quo for
derogations shouldbemaintained
Derogations shouldnot be allowed at all,
even if this mayrequirealternative
supplies which maylead to higher costs
The currentderogations shouldbe extended to be
allowed for afurthertransition
period
A new derogationsregime should beintroduced to alimited extent
andunder strictconditions
Others
Derogations (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
22
62,9 61,0
49,7
65,4
53,4
63,9
10,2 13,3 12,8
18,0 12,6
20,4
11,8
1,5
14,7 13,3 17,0
10,6 12,9
16,0
7,8 3,5
6,6 7,5 5,4 6,1 2,5
48,8
5,6 6,3 7,8 6,1 7,2 5,8
41,9
Dri
nki
ng
wat
er r
egu
lati
on
ssh
ou
ld c
ove
r th
e en
tire
su
pp
lyp
roce
ss a
nd
no
t b
e lim
ited
to
qu
alit
y st
and
ard
s at
th
e ta
p
Dri
nki
ng
wat
er t
reat
men
t sh
ou
ldb
e re
gula
ted
sim
ilar
to f
oo
dp
rod
uct
ion
inst
alla
tio
ns
refe
rrin
gto
th
e h
azar
d a
nal
ysis
an
d c
riti
cal
con
tro
l po
ints
(H
AC
CP
)…
Furt
her
pro
visi
on
s as
reg
ard
sex
ten
ded
res
po
nsi
bili
ty a
nd
liab
ility
of
wat
er s
up
plie
rs o
rm
arke
t su
rvei
llan
ce/i
nsp
ecti
on
regi
mes
sh
ou
ld b
e ta
ken
into
…
Mat
eria
ls in
co
nta
ct w
ith
d
rin
kin
g w
ater
(p
ipes
, du
cts,
va
lves
, fit
tin
gs, f
ilter
s, t
aps…
) sh
ou
ld b
e re
gula
ted
in a
mo
re
har
mo
nis
ed w
ay
Asp
ects
of
wat
er u
se a
nd
wat
erre
-use
in h
ou
seh
old
s an
d f
oo
din
du
stry
sh
ou
ld b
e ad
dre
ssed
exp
licit
ly
Ad
dit
ion
al in
cen
tive
s to
sav
ed
rin
kin
g w
ater
sh
ou
ld b
ein
tro
du
ced
Oth
er a
spec
ts s
ho
uld
be
add
ress
ed
Further aspects (%)
agree neither/nor disagree don't know not answered
Further Evaluation is going on: - All responses - Detailed responses to open questions - Additional stakeholder contributions are currently being analysed with the view to assess the need for improvements of the EU drinking water policy and how they could be achieved.
23
European Commission
DG Environment
Unit C.2 - Marine Environment
and Water Industry
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water
24
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