۵٫۱٫۱ Sources

Fresh water only represents approximately 3% of all water resources on earth, and its amount is estimated at 35millionm3 . Rivers, lakes, and shallow groundwater make up a mere 0.4% of the total volume of freshwater on the planet, with the rest being stored in the form of glaciers and snow cover in Antarctica and the Arctic or exists as groundwater. Access to drinking water in many countries is limited. Guidelines for the purity of drinking water are provided by European Union and government organizations. Criteria for drinking water quality are based on a few water quality variables such as microbiological and biological indicators, physical properties, organics, inorganics, and trace element concentrations.

۵٫۱٫۲ Regulations

The World Health Organization (WHO) has proclaimed that “All people, whatever their stage of development and their social and economic conditions have the right to have access to an adequate supply of safe drinking water.” [۱]. The EU standards for water quality are derived from WHO Guidelines for Drinking Water Quality. The EU Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC, November 3, 1998, on the quality of water intended for human consumption) is a seminal document for European countries in this respect. It is reviewed every five years by the European Commission, which brings it in line with WHO guidelines. In 2015 the Polish minister of health published a decree (2), whose contents correspond to EU recommendations. In the US, the Environmental Protection Agency issued the Safe Drinking Water Act which establishes the water purity requirements for all states.