Following the revision of the EU Drinking Water Directive at the beginning of 2021, six legal acts were published in the Official Journal of the European Union in April 2024. The EU Commission has thus regulated the requirements for the hygienic quality of materials and products that come into contact with drinking water in a binding and standardised manner.
The six legal acts consist of implementing acts and delegated acts. These will be in force from 31 December 2026 and, in addition to the material tests themselves, also regulate, for example, the conformity assessment procedure, the positive list of starting substances or the labelling of tested materials and products. The regulations provide for a national transitional arrangement until the end of 2032.
The requirements apply to all products in drinking water. In addition to pipelines in the water supply and domestic installations, this also includes valves, pumps, fittings and water meters. Certification, which is currently still optional, will become mandatory with the EU regulations. This means that all manufacturers of products in the drinking water sector will only have to have their products tested and certified once. This certificate will then be valid throughout the EU.
The Test Centre at TZW supports manufacturers and companies with testing and certification in accordance with the new EU regulations.
Further information
> Official Journal European Union 23/04/2024 (EN)
> Services offered by TZW Water Test Centre
