EU notifies Portugal of non-compliance with controls on bottled water
Brussels has launched an infringement procedure against Portugal for failure to comply with rules on monitoring the presence of radioactive substances in bottled drinking water.
The European Commission has launched an infringement procedure against Portugal on Thursday for failure to comply with rules on monitoring the presence of radioactive substances in bottled drinking water, and Lisbon has two months to reply.
The EU executive decided today to send a letter of formal notice to Portugal for failing to comply with the requirement of the Euratom Drinking Water Directive (Council Directive 2013/51/Euratom) to define exact sampling frequencies for water intended for human consumption packaged in bottles or other containers for sale, according to a statement.
The directive in question lays down requirements for the protection of public health with regard to radioactive substances in water intended for human consumption and defines parametric limits, frequencies and methods for monitoring these substances.
It also provides for the establishment of monitoring programmes to ensure that drinking water meets the requirements.
The Directive also requires that citizens be adequately and appropriately informed of the quality of the water they drink.
Portugal has two months to remedy the shortcomings identified by the Commission, failing which Brussels will move on to the next stage of the procedure by sending a reasoned opinion.
