Safe and cheap drinking water for everyone

Negotiators from the European Parliament and EU Member States agreed late on Wednesday evening on new rules improving the quality of and access to drinking water, as well as providing better information for consumers.

"European citizens have asked for better accessibility to quality water. They have made their voices heard repeatedly. Finally, the European Union has listened to their concerns", said Peter Liese MEP, the EPP Group Spokesman in the Environment Committee, and Christophe Hansen MEP, lead negotiator for the European Parliament.

"The Citizens' Initiative 'Right2Water' gathered more than 1.8 million signatures in 2013. We take this seriously", they said, welcoming the agreement.

"The new rules will protect drinking water from contaminants such as micro plastic and endocrine disruptors, which are a real threat to human health. They will make sure that European citizens drink safe water", explained Liese.

For the EPP Group, the debate on the quality of drinking water is not a debate about who should and who should not have access to water. "We want safe and cheap drinking water for everyone. It is unacceptable that six to eight million people in the EU do not have safe access to water or sanitary installations. We demand that Member States address the needs of those who are vulnerable, such as the Roma and homeless people", stressed Hansen.